Of Eros and Empathy
by OodHappenings
Summary: It's a Garak/Bashir fic, with some Odo/Kira references. It mostly focuses on relationships on the station after The Wire and how things evolve. Rated M for themes and eventual smut.
1. Chapter 1

_Two bodies moved together slowly and sensuously, flesh rubbing flesh with delicious friction. The air was hot and filled with unintelligible murmurs and moans. The view shifted to show red and gold silk fluttering and floating. The body above him arching and bending with pleasure. There was a whisper, and searing heat. Then, the face._

_His face. _

_Grinning. _

_Mocking. _

Doctor Julian Bashir awoke with a start, sweat dripping from his brow, the bedsheets entwined around his legs. He kicked his legs wildely and flailed off of the bed, fighting to free himself from the damp silk cloth. He ended up in a heap on the floor, his head striking the corner of the nightstand sharply.

"Fucking hell." He grabbed the back of his head and couldn't tell if the dampness coating his fingertips was blood or sweat.

"Computer! Lights!" The light's blared on, temporarily blinding him. When he blinked them clear he was relieved to see no redness tinging his fingertips. He sighed, taking a deep breath to calm his racing pulse as he peeled the sheets away from his legs and sat himself upright against his nightstand. The image of that face kept flashing behind his eyes and the doctor groaned.

It was the fourth night in a week that he had awoken hot, sticky, and spent, all over such an abstract dream.

He knew that it was simply his subconscious trying to tell him something. Unfortunately he knew exactly what it was saying. And it was definately something that the good doctor had to ignore.

Bashir slowly stood and tossed his dampened sheets back onto the bed, trudging into the bathroom with the hopes that a sonic shower would be as good at removing the images from his mind as it was at stripping the grime from his body.

He stripped out of his soggy pajamas and shivered as the cool air hit his overheated skin. The shower switched on, belting the doctor with warm and soothing waves of sound.

Bashir leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts on the day ahead.

His shift started at 0700 hours and as it was midweek, there would be merciful few emergencies to tend to, bar the minor holodeck exercise. At 1200 he had a scheduled lunch with Garak, though the tailor hadn't turned up in a few days, so maybe he could skip the trip to the replomat and just grab something at Quarks. He was supposed to meet Kira and Odo for a meeting at 1500 and at 1700 he had dinner with that sweet Betazoid Dabo girl.

He stretched the kinks out of his shoulders and ran his fingers through his hair, the sonic shower drying and fluffing it. He took a good look in the full length mirror on the edge of the shower and rubbed the stubble that was growing on his chin. With a sigh, he switched the shower off and snatched the razor from the shelf, switching the low intensity laser on, and quickly ridding himself of the stubble and revealing the youthful, smooth, and cheerful face that the residents of Deep Space 9 had grown accustomed to.

Two steps brought him to the pressed uniform jumpsuit that he had set out the morning before, and two more had him dressed and ready to go.

The issue was, it was too early to go anywhere. The promenade didn't open for another two hours, and no one he knew was on shift in ops.

That left the doctor with two options. Sneak into his office to catch up in some paperwork, or sit down, and find something to occupy his time.

"Well Julian, what a fine thing this is. up too early to get anything done." The doctor stepped around his living quarters and flopped into the raggedy arm chair that he had insisted be brought in from his apartment on Earth. The worn cloth was patched in several places, and the whole of it looked like it belonged in an Ancient Earth Museum, but it was comfortable, and cozy, and he was quite attached to it. Bashir flopped into and muttered for a raktajino, something that had become a morning ritual ever since he had placed the chair within arms reach of the replicator. Once the humming of the replicator had subsided, the doctor brought the bug to his lips and cradled it in his hands, savouring the bold and bracing scent. He took a long sip and smiled as it simultaneously calmed his nerves and cast off the last dregs of sleep.

"Computer. Give me the daily station report. Authorization code Bashir Zed four." Bashir commanded, wanting something to occupy his thoughts.

"There are four scheduled freighters arriving today. One from Andor, and three from Bajor. The _T'Pring _will be returning from the Gamma Quadrant at 0800 hours." That peaked Julian's interest.

Usually a science vessel's return meant a days work of tending to minor ailments and debriefing ship's doctors.

"Perfect."

"There are two wedding services scheduled for today at the chapel. The special at Quark's is Taco's and Plomeek soup."

"Hold on. Tacos? Elaborate."

"A taco is an ancient Earth dish of Hispanic origin dating back to-"

"I know what a taco is. Confirm that the special at Quark's is tacos."

"Affirmative." Bashir laughed nearly spilling his raktajino in the process.

"With all the Vulcan's coming in, I understand the Plomeek, but Taco's?"

"Please restate the question."

Bashir shook his head and wondered if Jadzia had heard about this yet, or if she had been the one to tell the Ferengi about the dish.

"Computer. Are any of my personal contacts awake?"

"Affirmative. Contact Garak is awake." Julian grimaced as the uttering of his friends name made his stomach flutter unpleasantly.

"Inform me when Lieutenant Dax is up."

"Reminder set."

"I really have to see if she's the one who's got Quark digging through old Earth recipes." The doctor glanced over at the clock and was thoroughly dismayed at how little time had passed. He made up his mind to simply walk down to his office and hope that Odo wouldn't be around to berate him for breaking promenade curfew. Bashir downed the rest of his beverage, and slipped on his shoes, before stealing himself down the corridor and into the turbolift. It was there that he was met with the least expected, and certainly least desired sight of his day.


	2. Chapter 2

Elim Garak hadn't slept in over a week. To be fair, he hadn't tried too desperately hard, simply laying down upon the heated mat on his sleeping slab, only to get up half an hour later and pace the floor of his quarters. His mind was full of schemes and scenarios playing out continuously as he tried to decide on what to do about his latest predicament.

The tailor had found himself being continually distracted by a relatively new resident of Terok Nor who he had somehow accidentally befriended.

And it truly was accidental. He had been trying to unsettle the fresh faced Starfleet officer when he had walked up to him and grabbed his shoulders, talking about his shop and his need for companionship. It was in the hope that the naive doctor would spread word of his eccentricity, and it would keep him in the peripherals of the collective consciousness of the stations new masters.

Instead the doctor had somehow found the tailor intriguing, or else he picked up on the Cardassian symbolism of grabbing at the shoulders, as he had agreed to a regular pattern of lunch dates that had become a spot of light in the Cardassian's otherwise tedious life. After his unfortunate medical collapse, it was Doctor Bashir who cared for him and literally risked his life to get the necessary information to save him. Even going so far as to unconditionally forgive him for actions and past atrocities, on the basic principal that he Elim Garak, was his friend.

It was here that the issue lay. Garak was starting to feel more than an amicable admiration for the Starfleet officer. Indeed he was getting attached to the doctor in a way that any sane Cardassian would think was inappropriate at best.

So his current dilemma was this, to sever his relationship with the doctor completely, removing himself from all contact possible, and thus also removing the best part of his tedious existence in exile, or to embrace whatever it is that is developing. Such acceptance of an unorthodox relationship would do little to sully his name, as he had already been reduced to a tailor in exile. But the Doctor's reputation may well take a nose dive if their friendship strayed at all from the platonic.

And what if he was completely misreading the young doctor? What if his actions where simply those of an overtly friendly personality? Surely someone like the good Doctor Bashir was completely uninterested in an old Cardassian traitor.

Garak paced the floors of his quarters until the walls of the room seemed to grow closer, and his breath grew more rapid. He needed to take a walk and clear his thoughts. The promenade was still closed at this hour, he was certain that Odo would still be a gelatinous puddle resting in his bucket for the next two hours at least.

He stepped out of his quarters and headed straight to the turbolift bent on walking the promenade and deciding what, exactly, to do about his own mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Bashir was met in the elevator by none other than Elim Garak himself, looking disheveled and more than a little shocked.

"Oh my, Doctor Bashir, I didn't expect you to be out this early." Julian nodded, stepping in and pressing himself against the opposite wall of the turbolift.

"Nor I you, Garak. Have you been having trouble sleeping?" The Cardassian tightened his lips and shook his head.

"No, not at all." He flashed the doctor the most charming smile he could muster "I simply wanted to get a jumpstart on today's work. Lot's of orders to fill. After being out of work for nearly two weeks, it seems the people are desperate for new apparel. " Bashir hummed, disbelieving of such an excuse, but allowing it to slide anyway. "What about you? What are you doing?" The doctor shrugged and put on an obviously false half smile.

"A Vulcan science vessel is coming in today, so I wanted to get a jumpstart on my paperwork. You know how fastidious commanding officers can be about paperwork." Garak shook his head.

"You do realize that I am just a simple tailor, right? A chain of command isn't something I'm intimately familiar with." Garak's insistent lies about his identity were something that consistently made Julian smile and shake his head, and it did not fail on this occasion.

"Sure." The turbolift reached the promenade, and Garak let Bashir go in front of him.

"Well I'll be heading to my shop." Bashir nodded.

"Are we on for lunch this afternoon?" Garak hesitated, the whole of his dilemma crashing down upon him once more. He knew the logical, and indeed the best answer was to decline the meeting, and simply make up his mind to end their friendship now. This decision, however, was not reflected in his response.  
"Absolutely, my dear, I wouldn't miss it for the world." Bashir smiled and turned towards his clinic, just in time to miss Garak's pained grimace at his own words and actions.

* * *

Garak quickly unlocked his shop and nearly slammed the gate behind him. He could not believe the lack of self control and discipline that he had just displayed. To finally have made up his mind only to ignore that and move closer to the human. Even going so far as using a human term of endearment, without a title or name behind it. It was simply disgraceful. His subconscious had made a decision, and acted on it, and he couldn't back out now. No, He had to go to lunch today, and he had to be at least up to par with his characteristic wit and charm. That meant he needed to rest.

He sighed and made his way to the sectioned off alcove at the back of his shop, where he kept a cot for hectic work days, laid down, and with a contented sigh, finally fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Bashir grinned like a mad man as he opened the clinic and plopped himself into his chair. In the short span of a turbolift ride he had gone from loathing the day ahead to feeling light as a feather. He knew it was ludicrous, that one subconscious slip could make him this happy, and infact, the more he dwelt on it, the more perplexing Garak's use of the word became. He had used it to preface his name, or simply by calling him "My dear doctor", but he preface nearly everyone's name like that. "My dear constable." and "My dear Major Kira" were thrown around casually. But he had never forgotten the qualifying title behind his phrase. Not at any instant. Until know.

And this one slip left the doctor unable to shake the sudden bubble in his stomach, or the way his face seemed capable only of smiling.

Julian set himself to the task of sequencing the genome of a new strand of a virus that seems to cause the Bajorin equivalent of whooping cough, while his thoughts drifted to analysing exactly what it was he wanted from his friendship with the Cardassian tailor.

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head as he was struck with the notion that he may have non platonic feelings for Garak, of all people.

The last serious relationship he had been in was with a Denobulan medical student during his academy days. And that had ended when the man, Arnox, had introduced him two his two wives, who didn't take kindly to a human joining the ranks of their extended family. Then there had been a myriad of dates and brief affairs with people from all walks of federation life, but none of them had been enough to hold the doctor's attention or his affections. Bashir sighed. Even his date tonight was bound to go nowhere but back to someone's quarters.

But Garak, he's, well, Garak. Mysterious, secretive, charming Garak. Fascinating, sure, but was he really the type of person that he could place his affections?

Then he had to consider difference in age, and his distinct lack of knowledge of Cardassian culture, traditions, and physiology. The doctor laughed at how ludicrous the whole thing was. He couldn't possibly date Garak. That was absurd. This whole concept was ridiculous. He was just letting that dream get the best of him. Garak probably meant nothing by calling him dear anyway. It's Garak. He was probably doing it to get under his skin and set him back on edge, as was the Cardassian's favourite pastime. Julian shook his head and checked on the sequencing program.

"Only twenty four percent? Computer, how long has this sequence been running?"

"Sequencing initiated 10 minutes ago."

"Bollocks, this is going to be a long day." He mumbled and sighed again.

"Computer play music."

"Please state era, artist, track, or genre." Bashir hummed to himself.

"Play new Earth hits."

"Please specify. Artist by this title, music from New Earth, or recent popular music from Earth." The doctor groaned.

"You know what, play some Vic Fontaine, Dean Martin. You know, classic Rat Pack."

The smooth jazz and soft crooning of the greats filtered around him from the speakers embedded in the walls, calming his racing thoughts and eased the tension in his neck.

"That's better." He returned his focus to his work, and hoped that the day passed by quickly. After all, he had a hot date tonight.


	5. Chapter 5

Security Chief Odo solidified from his mandatory period of rest in his original form to find warning lights flashing wildly and several of the motion sensors tripped. He fumbled for his comm badge and hurriedly contact ops.

"Odo to Ops."

"Ensine Marina here, how can we help you Constable?" He grumbled at the federation nickname, but continued."

"I'm registering several disturbances on the promenade during Curfew hours. Has security been dispatched?"

"No, er, negative sir. security footage showed that it was only Doctor Bashir and Mr. Garak. They went directly to their respective spaces so we didn't think it was necessary to dispatch security." Odo was shocked. Both at the blatant disregard for protocol and set rules, and at the fact that two of the more well behaved inhabitants of the station would blatantly ignore strict curfew to what? Catch up on their work? No, something else must be going on. Maybe it had to do with what Kira had asked to meet him over. She had mentioned Bashir was the subject of their discussion, but then she had told the doctor it was an issue regarding the security of his clinic.  
"Sir? Constable Odo? Is something wrong?" He jumped slightly, having allowed his thoughts to run rampant.

"No, no. I'm fine. Actually, next time someone breaks curfew on the Promenade without my direct indication that they have permission to do so, send security and have them detained. Are we clear?" The young woman coughed quietly.

"Yes sir. Won't happen again sir. Would you like me to send security now?"

"No, I've got it. Odo out." He opened the gate to his office and walked out onto the promenade, which was just now starting to open up. Merchants were rolling up their gates and hauling in new supplies. A klingon opera filtered faintly from the Klingon restaurant, and a soft beat seemed to be coming from the clinic. The thing that caught Odo's attention was that Garak's shop was still closed. Usually the fastidious Cardassian was one of the first people to open, and one of the last to close. At this point, his gate was still shut, and all of the lights were still off.

Concerned, Odo tried the gate, perplexed to find it latched. His security override could not budge the old fashioned physical latch, to which Odo reluctantly slid through the gap at the bottom of the gate and resolidified as a small brown rodent. A not uncommon sight on the station. i was in this form that he scoured the whole of Garak's shop, and then moved to the workroom and adjacent alcove. Had it not been for the sound of snoring emanating from a dark corner, behind a rack of have finished suits, Odo would not have found the Cardassian. But sure enough, there he was, curled upon a small cot, fast asleep.

The changeling drew himself up into his humanoid form and firmly tapped the tailor on the shoulder, earning a fist through his stomach as the startled Cardassian jumped to his feet.

"Garak! Calm down, it's just me, Odo." The Cardassian smoothed his hair and straightened his tunic.

"My apologies Constable, you startled me. Is something the matter?" Odo harumphed and crossed his arms.

"The problem is that you snuck onto the promenade at 0400 hours, during the curfew period I might add, and here it is nearly 0730 and you're fast asleep in a closed down shop." Garak winced at the time, but pasted on a polite smile nonetheless.

"My dear constable, I understand that my arriving at my shop at such an early hour is against the rules, but can you fault a man for wanting to get a head start on his work? I mean surely you can appreciate dedication and commitment to one's career." Odo harumphed once more and shook his head.

"It looked like you were getting more sleeping done than working." Garak's face tightened with contempt, and he narrowed his eyes.  
"Sir, I did fall asleep while I was working. I'm afraid that I've not quite fully recovered from my ordeal in the past week. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to open my shop and begin the day in earnest." When the changeling didn't move Garak stepped around him and flung open the curtained partition of the room.

"Or are you going to arrest an upstanding citizen such as myself for falling asleep at work." Odod grumbled something to himself but he trudged forward to the gate, where Garak swiftly let him out, and opened the shop for the day.

"Just remember Garak. I've-"

"Got your eye on me. Yes, I'm well aware. Now if you'd please leave. Having the chief of security loitering in one's doorway is simply a killer of business." Odo grunted and spun on his heels marching directly to the infirmary.

Julian Bashir was face down on a stack of PADDs when Odo found him, his own heavy snoring belaying any initial fear that the constable may have had over the wellbeing of the doctor. Wary of his previous encounter with the Cardassian, Odo stepped well of of Bashir's range before he reached over and shook his shoulder. The doctor jumped slurring a shout.

"I'm awake! I'm awake. I'm-" He looked down at his cluttered desk, and noticed the small pool of drool there. "I fell asleep?" He looked up at Odo, confused and disoriented.

"Yes, you did." He put on a smile that perfectly complemented his sugary sarcasm. " It's what you get for sneaking onto the Promenade during curfew." Bashir wiped his face with his hands and himself in his chair.

"I-I just wanted to finish sequencing the genome of this virus before the day's shift started." Odo scoffed at the remark.

"Right. Like Garak wanted to get some suits tailored, please. Admit it, you two are up to something." Bashir squinted at the constable and then smiled.  
"You're joking with me aren't you. You're just trying to get a rise out of me as payback for breaking your rules." Odo scoffed again and crossed his arms.

"You're avoiding my question." The doctor sighed and stretched his arms above his head, groaning as his spine popped and cracked.

"Look. The only thing that Garak and I are plotting is lunch at the replomat this afternoon. That's it. I mean common Odo, what's wrong with two grown men wanting to get a jumpstart on their workloads?"

"Nothing, If they actually got some work done. But I find it suspicious that I find both of you fast asleep while you're supposed to be "working"." The doctor shrugged.

" I can't speak for Garak, but I haven't been sleeping well. I did fully intend to stay awake." He yawned. "It must have been reading the case files associated with this virus I'm studying that put me to sleep."

"Hmmm. May I see you're work on this virus you keep mentioning?" Bashir shrugged once more.

"Sure. Computer Display genome sequencing progress."

"Progress complete as of 0600 hours." The doctor jumped out of his chair.

"What? What time is it?"

"The current time is 0742." Bashir groaned and rushed for the door, where Odo blocked his path.

"Just where do you think that you're going?

"My shift started nearly an hour ago. I'm late to check in up at Ops." Odo laughed and stepped aside, shaking his head as the gangly young doctor bolted down the promenade. He made a half hearted shout about the "no running" rule but let him go anyway.

"Humanoids" He muttered to himself, shaking his head as he headed to Quark's to check for early morning illicit activity."


	6. Chapter 6

Kira Nerys was worried. Her friend and coworker was later than usual for his morning shift, and he hadn't checked in at all with Ops. Put that atop his recent sullen behavior and she had enough of a personal cause for concern. After all, a young doctor like Julian was easy pray for someone looking for a quick relationship, but as she and Jadzia had discussed, he puts his whole heart into things at a level that was as unhealthy as it was heartwarming. She nearly called security to go find him when he appeared at the top of the turbolift, disheveled and short of breath, with the imprint of a PADD on his cheek.

"Well morning there sleepy head. Fall asleep on your homework?" The doctor reached up and touched his cheek, groaning as he felt the imprint there.

"Something like that. I got up early to get some extra work done when I fell asleep reading case files." Kira laughed.

"Well, Commander Sisko want's to see you. It's about the Vulcan ship that's returning today. Try not to fall asleep during that meeting as well." The doctor rolled his eyes and trudged up to the Commander's office. He walked in to Commander Sisko leaning back in his chair with his feet propped on the desk, tossing a ball into the air .

"You wanted to speak with me Commander?" Sisko smiled, catching the ball and placing it into it's holder on the desk.  
"Yes. I wanted to make sure that you were informed about the special arrangements that the T'Pring has requested." He straightened himself in his seat and pulled a PADD off of his desk, handing it to the doctor. "They're bringing some travelers from the Gamma Quadrant, as well as some biological samples. I need you to do a full examination and vaccination panel so that they can travel unrestricted through federation space." Bashir squinted, confused.

"Sir, that's standard procedure. What's the special request?"

"The special request comes from the unique nature of these being's appearance. They aren't humanoid, but are sentient, and capable of communication in a humanoid fashion. They, for fear of causing a disturbance aboard the station, have requested to remain aboard the _T'Pring_ for this procedure."

"But sir, half of the scanning equipment can't be transported to a vessel that small, and It'd take three times longer to analyze the data with me having to consistently transfer it from computer to computer." Sisko shrugged.

"You can discuss having the privately transported to the clinic, but you'd have to make the request personally. The crew of the _T'Pring_ fully support their decision. And frankly, I'd like to avoid any sort of disturbances that may occur."

"Understood." Bashir turned to leave, when Sisko coughed.

"Doctor, one more thing." The doctor turned back, and the captain was grinning. "While I'm all for getting a head start on the day, try not to break curfew next time. And do something about your face before you meet with the _T'Pring_."

"Sir?"

"The pressure marks. wouldn't want anyone getting the impression that you're sleeping on the job, now would we." Bashir shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"No sir. I'll take care of it."

"Good. I'll have Major Kira contact you when the _T'Pring_ docks. She'll be greeting them, as I have a wedding to attend."

"Personal friend?"

"Unfortunately no. They want the Emissary to bless their marriage." Julian nearly laughed at that, but held his tongue.

"No Doctor, please, laugh. I find the whole thing humorous myself." Both men chuckled as the Captain stood, walking around the desk while gesturing at the door. "Well doctor, duty calls."

"Indeed it does sir." Bashir walked out of the office and was greeted by Jadzia holding a dermal regenerator.

"I thought this might be useful." Bashir smiled, but waved it away.

"Thanks, but it'll fade on its own in a half hour or so." Jadzia shook her head.  
"We don't have half an hour. The _T'Pring_ just docked. Kira's gone ahead to greet it, but we need to catch up. Now stand still." She quickly passed the devise over his skin as it removed the pressure marks. She then shoved Julian's med kit into his hands.

"Now come on. We need to hurry to get down there." The pair bolted for the turbolift and sped down to the docking ring.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mister Garak?" A young Bajoran woman entered the shop with a young man at her side. Garak poked his head out from his workstation and just vaguely recognized her as Tyra Venes, the young woman who had come in a week ago to have a gown designed for her wedding ceremony. The man at her side must be her fiance. Garak stepped out onto the floor of his shop and held out his hand in greeting. She hesitated, before taking it.

"Miss Tyra. How lovely to see you again. I assume you're here to retrieve your gown." She nodded, quickly stepping away from him.  
"Yes. And Bo here has a suit that he needs altered." Garak groaned internally. Another rush job, no doubt. "We need it done quickly. Our ceremony is in 5 hours. We can compensate you for the rush." Garak nodded, his professional smile plastered across his face.

"Of course. Do you have the suit with you?" The man nodded, pulling a wadded up bundle of grey fabric out from behind his back.

"I had it made for me on Bajor, but when I recieved it yesterday it didn't fit. Tyra says that you do good work, so I was hoping that you could fix it for us." Garak nodded and pointed to a curtained off area to their left. "Please, go put it on so that I can see what adjustments I need to make."

The bajorin man glanced at his fiance, obviously reluctant to leave her alone with the Cardassian. Garak's chest ached at how distrustful these people were of him, but he didn't let is show. "Miss Tyra, if you'd like to accompany him while I go retrieve your gown." The couple visibly relaxed and headed to the dressing room, while Garak returned to his workroom. The gold and white gown was hanging amongst several other gowns that were in various stages of production. This was one that the tailor was rather fond of, as it was the first piece he had done since his intracranial implant had been deactivated. He snatched it from it's place and carried it into the main area of the shop, where the Bajoran man stood in a grossly misshapen suit, while his fiance bit at her knuckles to keep from tears.

"You see Mr. Garak? It's just dreadful. Can you fix it?" The Cardassian looked at the suit closely, calculating the amount of time it would take to remedy the too short sleeves and ridiculously long coat. The high watering pants and the extremely large waist.

"No." The woman choked on a sob, and Garak held a hand up.

"Please, relax. I have a suit that will work for the occasion already made. I'll simply adjust it for him quickly. Now." He handed the garment bag to the woman. "Why don't you go try this on, and make sure it's everything you've hoped for on your wedding day." The woman nodded and dabbed at her eyes with her fingertips as she walked to the dressing rooms. "As for you Mr.-"

"Bo. Bo Tarren."

"Yes. Mr. Tarren. I have a suit in white that would fit you well. And I believe it would compliment your fiance's dress well. Would you care to see it?" The man hesitated and then sighed.

"Whatever you think will work, Cardassian. I just want this day to go well, for Venes sake." Garak bristled at the use of his species name, instead of his own, knowing full well the negative connotation of it in the Bajorin lexicon. But he ignored it and quickly found the only white suit he had in stock. He noted that he also had a gold shirt in relatively the same size, and he brought both of them out for the man.

"Here you are sir, if you would please try them on, I'll get to work making any changes necessary for you." The man nodded, walking back to the dressing room just as his fiance emerged.

Her face was awash with a mix of emotions as she gazed into the panel of mirrors set up at the edge of the shop. At the bride to be's request, the whole of the gown completely forsook traditional Bajoran attire in favor of something far more Cardassian, though he would tell her it was an Earthen pattern, so as not to offend her. The gown was floor length with a golden train and modest bodice. The fit was tight to her body, with sleeves that were long and billowing at the ends, but the cut left the whole of her shoulders exposed. The effect was gorgeous and almost regal, and the woman was absolutely stunned. Garak cleared his throat as he walked behind her.

"Well?" Her eyes welled up with tears as she turned to him.

"It's gorgeous. It's absolutely gorgeous. Far more than anything I could have ever imagined. Thank you!" It was at this point that she flung her arms around Garak and bawled into his shoulder. He simply held her awkwardly as she cried. Her fiance came out and saw the spectacle, immediately jumping to the worst conclusion.

"Venes! Cardassian dog, what have you done to her?" He ran over and ripped the woman from Garak, getting hit to his jaw before the woman could stop him. Garak barely budged from the blow, such a reaction not uncommon among his Bajoran clientele Instead he stepped back, swallowed the anger that threatened to bubble up in his gut, and let the lovers spat pan out.

"Tarren! Tarren stop! Please! He was only comforting me." The man turned on the woman, his fists raised.

"Comforting you? Why was _he _Comforting you." The way he spat his words suddenly explained to Garak why he had sent for a Bajoran suit in the first place. This was a man who held a deep hatred of Cardassians.

"I was overwhelmed was all. This dress is so pretty, I just-just." She started sobbing again, backing away from her fiance and tripping over the trane. There was a loud tearing sound as she fell backwards. And now the tears flowed in earnest. "Now look what you've made me do. I've ruined it!" The man sighed and ran his fingers through his shaggy brown hair, clearly upset and still very much angry, desperately grasping to contain himself.

"Now now ma'am." Garak said, edging closer to the couple while keeping a respectful distance.

"I'm sure that it's a simply tear that I can fix, free of charge of course, as you haven't even taken the gown from the store yet." The man looked over at the tailor, and then back at his fiance, who was starting to calm back down. He noticed how composed the tailor was, even after being assaulted, and his cheeks began to redden in shame. "As for you Mr. Bo. The suit looks like it simply needs to be taken in at the shoulders and chest. Do the trousers fit comfortably?" The man stared at Garak for a good long moment in complete and utter disbelief.

"Er, yes. they feel fine. Are you not-" Garak stopped him from finishing that thought.

"Splendid. I'll have that jacket fixed for you within the hour. Ms. Tyra if you would please turn around so I can assess the damage to your gown." She sniffled and obliged, and garak got down on his knees to investigate.

"Just as I thought, your foot went through the back of your dress. A quick mend, I can do it now, if you'd like." The woman nodded as Garak pulled a small fabric replicator from his pocket. He held the two edges of the tear together and ran the red beam over it, carefully controlling how many stitches it replaced on the seam. The result was a flawless rejoining of the fabric that left no evidence of the accident ever occurring. "There. Now, if you two would be so kind as to change out of your outfits."

"How much is this outfit going to cost me Mr.-"

"Garak. And the original price for that suit is 300 credits." The man inhaled sharply. "However, I am willing to negotiate. What were you going to pay to have your other suit altered?"

"Since it was in such bad shape and it was such a rush job I was going to do 100 credits." Garak nodded.

"Well I am not an unreasonable man Mr. Bo. I beleive 150 credits for the suit, alterations, and shirt should suffice. That is, as long as you spread the good word about my clothery." The man smiled broadly and stuck out his hand, vigorously shaking the tailor's.

"You have yourself a deal Mr. Garak." The Cardassian smiled and pulled the Cardassian equivalent of a PADD form his other pocket.

"If I could get your thumb print here please." The man obliged, transferring credits into Garak's accounts.

"Thank you Mr. Bo. It's been a pleasure doing buisness with you. If you would please bring the suit back out with you I would appreciate it." The man nodded, running back into the dressing room. When he emerged this time, in his street clothing he was grinning ear to ear.

"Now that I think of it, Mr. Garak, My cousin is getting Married in the next few weeks, and she has yet to decide on where to get her gown. She'll be resistant to getting it made by a spoon head, but I think I can talk her around."

"Especially after she sees my gown." The woman emerged, her eyes still red from crying, but she was smiling now, which- to Garak- meant that he had another satisfied customer.

"She'd want something far more traditional, for herself, but I'm sure that won't be an issue for you." Garak smiled and nodded, though he wanted them to simply leave him alone.

"Not at all. Most of the gowns I create are traditional Bajoran fare. Yours was a rare treat, to be given creative licence over a dress. I chose from the finest of Earth's examples. It is my understanding, after all, that the Emissary is to bless your wedding." The woman's smile brightened.

"That's true! I'm so excited that the Prophets have allowed such an honour to be bestowed upon us." The man's smile faltered slightly, and Garak noticed.  
"It is an exciting thing for the both of you. Now, If you'll excuse me." He took the suit from the man and draped it over his arm.

"I need to get to these alterations. Your suit will be ready by within the next hour.' The man nodded and grabbed the garment bag that his fiance was carrying, then they both headed for the door.

The moment they were out of sight Odo stepped into the shop. Garak cursed internally but plastered on his professional smile none the less.

"Constable Odo. To what do I owe a second visit today? You aren't coming to see if I've fallen asleep again have you? Because I can assure you that it won't happen again."

"No Garak, I came in after I noticed that that man had struck you. Do you want to press charges?" Garak laughed at the ever frowning security chief.

"No Odo. It's all in a days work. Though I appreciate your being concerned for my well being." The constable scoffed.

"I'm not concerned for you Garak. I just don't like seeing people get away with violence and injustice." Garak shook his head and laughed once more.

"Well then Constable, it's a good thing you don't look in here too often. Now I assure you I'm fine. No harm done. why don't you go see what Quark is up too, hmm? The _T'Pring_ is near to docking, who knows what he might try if he thinks that there is some latinum in it for him." Odo grunted and headed back to the shop's entrance.

"YOu have a point Garak. But next time someone decides that the best way to thank you for your work is to hit you, you can come to me. Well, to security I mean. We'll take care of it." Garak smiled a little more warmly at the constables deeply hidden concern.

"Thank you Constable, I'll keep that in mind." Odo mumbled something to himself as he walked out of the door, leaving Garak to his work.


	8. Chapter 8

Dax and Bashir stood quietly next to Major Kira as the door to the Vulcan ship opened. Out stepped a distinguished looking woman in a surprisingly casual ensemble. Kira stepped forward with her best political smile.

"Doctor Ka'tra I'm Major Kira, this is our chief science officer, Lieutenant Dax, and our Medical officer, Doctor Bashir. On the behalf of the Government of Bajor and Starfleet, we welcome you to the station." The Vulcan woman nodded, a nearly bemused expression crossing her features.

"I thank you for your welcome, but there is no need to stand on formality with me Major." Kira nodded. "Doctor Bashir. I assume you are here to tend to our guests."

"Yes ma'am, and any of your crew who may have been injured or have taken ill." The woman nodded.

"Our medic, Sakket, will be assisting you. He'll have sent all of our documentation to your computers for filing."

"Good, good." He pointed at the door to the ship. "May I?"

"By all means Doctor." Bashir entered the vessel and was at once shocked by how spacious it appeared. The white walls and sparse furnishings, coupled with a lack of physically separated work areas maximized the amount of space in an otherwise cramped vessel. A young Vulcan man noticed the stupefied doctor standing awkwardly to the side and waved him over.

"You must be Doctor Bashir. I am Sakket." He extended his and in greeting and the doctor took it, surprised by the initiation of physical contact by a Vulcan.

"Niced to meet you. What's all this about your guests?" Sakket sighed, turning to the monitor in front of him and pulling up what appeared to be security footage. Bashir saw two large bluish grey creatures, with nearly a dozen tentacles as well as a multitude of eyestalks. The moved slowly, the large beak-like appendage towards the top of the central portion of their body snapping and moving with them.

"Meet Chrangularat and Falluntralaug. Two travelers from the Drenaug system. They're species is completely warp capable and owns a thriving trade hub in the Gamma quadrant, where they export, of all things, cosmetics and other commercial chemical products. Chrangularat is the more social of the pair, with a tendency towards hyperbole as well as unnecessary conversation. Falluntralaug has spoken approximately 34 words in the entire duration of this journey thus far, and prefers to leave nearly all communication to Chrangularat."

"Fascinating. I can certainly see why they would prefer to keep away from the general public. Tell me, do you think that they would be open to a brief transfer to my clinic? It'd be completely isolated from the general population and would greatly expedite my work." Sakket shrugged, another unusual gesture for a vulcan.

"You can ask them. They may be open to the idea if you can guarantee their Privacy, but I would not get your hopes up." Bashir nodded.

"Which way to their quarters?"

"I'll Take you to them." He turned away from the station and started walking to the back of the main area. "Due to their unique physiological needs we have given them quarters in our cargo bay."

"Unique physiological needs?"

"They are amphibious. Their planet has a far more humid atmosphere than that of most other environments. Indeed many of their species chooses to live underwater, with this in mind, too much exposure to arid conditions makes them ill and could even be fatal for them." The doctor nodded once more, keeping his mouth shut about how that ought to have been the first thing mentioned when briefing him about their guest. and not an afterthought. Sakket led the doctor through a series of doors until he was, quite literally face to face with the visitors.

"Chrangularat, Falluntralaug this is Doctor Bashir. He'll be doing your physicals and administering your vaccinations so that way you can continue into Federation space." Chrangularat slapped two of his tentacles around Bashir's shoulders and clicked his beak several times, before a guttural gargling sound emanated from his throat. Bashir looked at Sakket worriedly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." Chranularat looked imploringly at the Vulcan who sighed and turned to a console at the back of the room.

"My apologies I completely forgot to add the translation program for their language into your database. A few moments later and and the clicking and gurgling turned into a flow of words.

"Doctor, can you understand us now?" He jumped slightly at the deep monotone voice that rang around him.

"Why yes."

"Good. We should begin all necessary examinations as quickly as possible. Fall is anxious to begin travelling again. Space travel is disagreeable for the both of us, and being able to start visiting planets as soon as possible is our current goal." Bashir smiled.

"Fall hmm? Is that a nickname?" Chranularat inclined a cluster of his eyestalks.

"Nickname?"

"a shortened version of a full name, or a name given by merit of achievement or vertue."

"Yes, then, Fall is a nickname for Falluntralaug." The doctor laughed, pulling his tricorder out of his med kit.

"Do you have a nickname?" There was a pause, where both Chranularat and Falluntralaug turned a deeper shade of blue.

"The answer to that is yes, though it is more of a personal humorous anecdote than a polite common name." Bashir nodded, activating the tricorder and scanning it over the being.

"Would it be impolite for me to refer to you by that name?"

"No. Not impolite. Unprofessional and informal, but not impolite. It is Glib."

"Glib. Alright, May I ask the connotation behind it?" The two beings shared a look that could only be described as mutual questioning, befor Chranularat answered.

"It means to talk an excessive amount, or to speak for someone else. Because I have always spoken over Fall, it is a natural name for me." Bashir nodded.

"Well I have basic physiological scans of you two now. I'd like to take you both down to my clinic so that I could perform a more comprehensive examination, but I understand that you may not be comfortable with that." There was another silent exchange between the two.

"I think that, if you could get us to your clinic without cause too much a disturbance, It would be acceptable to spend a brief amount of time there." The doctor smiled warmly, before hitting his comm badge.

"Ops, three to transport to sickbay." He turned to Sakket. "Thank you for your assistance. I'll return your guests as soon as possible." The Vulcan nodded, and Bashir swore that he saw the corners of his mouth twitch into a half smile. "Energize." They materialized in the surgical suite of the clinic, where Bashir quickly sealed off all entrances and exits, so as to preserve the privacy of the two beings.

"I'll make this as quick as possible for you. Just sit tight." The pair looked at the doctor questioningly.

"Sit tight?"

"An Earth colloquial phrase. It means to remain where you are and stay calm." There was a general wiggling of their eyestalks at that, which Bashir took as agreement. He quickly downloaded the data from his tricorder into the clinic's computer system, and then moved back to his guests. "If you would be so kind as two, one at a time sit on top of that table right there." He pointed at the surgical table, and much to his surprise, Fall was the one to pull himself atop it.

"Alright. Computer begin Scan." There was a quiet buzzing sound as a series of scanners took precise measurements of every molecule of Fall's body. Everything was cataloged, from internal organs to chemical compositions. A wall monitor started flashing wildly, which had Bashir rushing to correct the issue.

"Damn." The doctor slammed his fis against the interface, before furiously typing in more strings of commands.

"Doctor?" Glib asked, moving closer to the monitor. "What's the issue?" he felt a tentacle brush against his leg, and noticed that the being was closely studying the monitor.

"Well, umm, the, uh." He cleared his throat, making a conscious effort not to distance himself from Glib. "The computer doesn't recognize several of the chemicals that are bonded to the protein strands in Fall's, and I'm assuming your, body. It's also detecting far more brainwave activity than I picked up on my tricorder, which means that it's having to recalculate a lot of the data that I provided." Glib absentmindedly swayed his eyestalks, and Bashir noticed that the being had knotted two sets of tentacles behind its back.

"I can input the composition of the chemicals that it's missing, but I do not know how to correct the other issues." The doctor smiled, setting the screen up so that the being could enter the chemical compositions into the sequences.

"It's all yours." Glib began delicately tapping at the screen with slow but sure movements. "The other issues can be accounted for by answering a few more questions, but those can wait." Fall shifted slightly on the bed.

"Actually, I can answer those now." Both Bashir and Glib turned to Fall in shock, and Fall noticed, turning a deep shade of blue.

"The reason your computer is reading unusual brainwave activity is because of my Empathic nature. I am Carranat. One of the three, umm, types of people."

"Do you mean like sexes? How we Humans, and the Vulcans have male and female?"

"In a way, yes. There are Narro, Narrocot, and Carranat." Bashir jotted all the down onto the pad that was resting beside the examination table.

"What are the differences, or the different functions in your society?" Fall's eyes closed and he seemed to draw in on himself slightly.  
"Our species does not have sex or gender as you perceive it. The Narro are able to reproduce. The Narrocot are not, and the Carranat are tasked with raising all young. Once a solar cycle all Narro report to Carramat facilities where they will produce their pods. From that point forward the Carranat tend to the needs of the young until they are old enough to function in society. The Carranot job is to educate, interact with, and support the young of the pods that they are given. Being that each pod can consist of anywhere from 5 to 50 offspring, a Carranat's empathy is essential to giving all young the individualized upbringing that they need in order to develop." Bashir nodded, smiling warmly at Fall.

"So your job was to care for children?"

"Yes. I quite enjoyed it. However this last cycle was extremely difficult, so when the opportunity to travel arose I decided to take it." The Doctor's brow furrowed in concern.

"May I ask what happened?" Glib turned from the monitor and spoke.

"Our species went through a great plague approximately 400 solar cycles ago. It made it to where he Narrocot could no longer produce the chemical needed to facility the reproductive process. At one point that chemical was transferred from the Narrocot to the Narro and then the Carranat would take the offspring. After the , we had to begin synthesizing that chemical, which works in 96 percent of pods. But some pods don't develop as fully, or have unforeseen complications. Some are physically unstable, some mentally. It's no ones fault, just an unfortunate side effect of our species's evolution." Fall's color paled slightly, and Bashir noticed how the entire mass of the being seemed to sag.

"My last pod developed normally, all of their tests came back completely adequate, two of the offspring even showed Carranat tendencies, an occurrence that was nearly unheard of, as Carranat is the rarest of the three segments, and usually occurs in only 5 percent of each That in and of itself should have registered as a cause for concern, but I was thrilled. My pod was special."

"It wasn't until the sorting cycle that things went wrong."

"I should clarify. the sorting cycle is when the offspring have completed their basic education and are allowed to select possible career paths or general education. The Carranat children are separated out at this time and are taken to a training facility to help them develop and utilize their talents for the greater good of society."

"One of Fall's poddlings, Alenadrax, was mentally imbalanced in way that none of us noticed. When he was placed in a room full of other young Carranat children he, umm, he." Glib glanced over at Fall, who had turned nearly completely white, and Bashir noticed that despite their completely non humanoid features he could still read a distinct expression of concern on Glib's face.

"It's alright Glib. This is a cultural exchange, We need to be honest." There was another moment were Fall seemed to shrink in upon himself, and Bashir had taken that as a gesture of preparation, akin to taking a deep breath. "Alenadrax slaughtered all 8 of our regions carranat offspring, as well as two mature supervisors. When I felt the I arrived, only to witness e security forces put Alenadrax down. I was not blamed for the incident, as there was no way that I could have possibly seen that happen, but I still feel at least partially responsible." Bashir stood and awkwardly patted what was the equivalent of Fall's back.

"Thank you for sharing that with me. It helps my society better understand yours, but more importantly, it helps me better understand you." The computer flashed again and the electronic voice sounded through the room.

"Scan complete." Bashir noted in the file the extreme emotional trauma.

"Well you're finished Fall. Glib, If you have finished with your significant contribution to the scientific community I'd like for you to hop up here and get your scans done." Glib's eyestalks twitched slightly as the eyes atop them rotated over and the being's body simply moved backward. Bashir fought once more to keep his exterior completely nonchalant but Fall noticed his shock.

"I take it that you were not anticipating that." Bashir shook his head.

"Not at all, but it's perfectly alright. Just another thing that makes your species so fascinating." The doctor began running the scans, when the clinic's comm system signaled an incoming message.

"Bashir here." Garak's voice crooned through the speakers of the clinic.

"Doctor! How nice to hear that you're alright. I stepped out of my shop for a moment and noticed that your clinic appeared ready for battle. May I ask why that is?" Bashir smiled slightly, rolling his eyes for no real apparent reason.

"I have some unexpected visitors that require a certain level of, well privacy, in their treatment."

"Ah, well, thank you for clearing that up. I assume then that our lunch plans will be postponed."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well it is currently a half hour until 12, unless you intend to rush through whatever delicate procedures you're performing, I say it's a safe bet that we should forgo lunch today." Bashir moved to quickly confirm the time with the clock on the medical monitor.

"How can it be this late already? It was barely 8 an hour ago!"

"My dear doctor, charming though you are, I do believe your math is more than a little off." The doctor ran his face over his hand and sighed.

"I'm sorry Garak, you're right, we will need to skip our lunch today." For some reason that realization brought a pit into the doctor's stomach.

"Why don't we have dinner instead? Rumour has it Quark is serving an ancient Earth dish as a special tonight." Bashir's breath caught in his throat and his stomach erupted in a flurry of fluttering, which fell into an uneasy dread.

"Actually Garak, I already have a date tonight. Perhaps another time." The tension across the omm connection was nearly tangible.

"Perhaps." Then the line died. Glib and Fall shared another all knowing look, before turning to stare at Bashir.

"What?" Another shared glance, this one complete with a deepening of both of their hues. Fall sighed and spoke to Glib.

"I'm not going to say it." The doctor reddened.

"Say what?" Glib flattened out his eyestalks.

"It isn't our place." The Doctor closed his eyes and threw back his head with a groan.

"Would you two like to inform me what, exactly, this conversation is about, or is it none of my concern." His sharp change in attitude and complete loss of professional composure shocked and bewildered the two beings. The doctor too seemed to be surprised by his own outburst, as he blushed and sighed.

"I'm sorry. Truly, that was uncalled for." He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Honestly I don't know what came over me. I'm not one who is prone to unwarranted outbursts." Fall's beak clicked slowly.

"Doctor, please do not take offense to this, but you have a strong emotional connection to that Garak person. I believe that you do not understand that connection, and that is what is making you irritable." Bashir sighed again.

"We are just friends. Recently there was a bit of an incident, he nearly died, I learned a lot about him, but I'd hardly say that it excuses that behaviour." Glib shifted positions until he was facing the doctor.

"Perhaps it doesn't. But it can explain it. You see, on our planet, attempting to deceive oneself is one thing that our society does not tolerate. We are raised that clarity with oneself means clarity with the whole, and our society would not function if it was not open and honest."

"If you are not honest with yourself, then who are you honest with?" Bashir nodded, leaning against the wall as he contemplated the words of these two unorthodox sages. Indeed unorthodox seemed to be the theme of the day, and perhaps the best answer to his problems.

"Thank you. That makes a lot of sense." Fall glanced at glib and began to gurgle deeply in his throat. The noise startled Bashir from his revery as he lept to help the being.

"What's wrong, what's going on, how can I help?" Fall stopped gurgling and stared curiously at the doctor.

"Nothing." A small hiccuping noise. "Is wrong, in fact, I think it's entertaining." Bashir looked at Glib for more of an explanation, but was met with more gurgling from him.  
"What is that sound?"

"An expression of amusement or happiness." The doctor chuckled.

"So like, laughter?"

"Is that the equivalent for your species?" Bashir shook his head, a grin spreading across his face.

"Yes. Yes it is."

"What does that consist of, exactly?" The doctor paused, having never really considered it.

"Well, it's usually expressed by sharp, spontaneous exhalations, which then often produce a series of random noises and sounds." Glib and Fall glanced at each other and seemed to mutual come to a decision.

"The Vulcan vessel will not leave here until you have completed all of your medical tasks, correct?"

"Well, yes."

"Then tomorrow at the beginning of your shift we would like to request your presence. We have some information that we believe you can be trusted with." Bashir pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, but found himself nodding anyway.

"Alright, yes. The computer should have finished synthesizing versions of required vaccinations based on your biochemistry by approximately 0800 tomorrow. Is that time alright?"

"Yes. It is adequate." Conversation lulled as the computer continued it's scans of Glib, and Bashir found his mind drifting once more.


	9. Chapter 9

Garak sat in his shop, brooding silently as he checked his alterations to another suit for another event. The previous couple had walked in just moments after his conversation with the Doctor, and had thus received a less than stellar reception. He doubted that it would hinder future business, but it did further his current state of self loathing. He had been foolish to even briefly allow himself to indulge in the notion of having a relationship with anyone. Much less with that insufferable, smug, inconsiderate, overbearing federation doctor.

"Honestly Elim, you know better. You have lived this long on your own, what's a few more years." He finished binding a seam and held it up to the light.

"Cardassia's government is unstable anyway, it'll collapse within the decade and you'll be free to return." He noticed a gather in the fabric and sighed.

"Why are we letting ourselves get worked up to the point where we can't even do our work properly." He looked around for a blade to separate the seam for a new stitch, and became inordinately frustrated when he could not find it. He hopped off off of his chair and searched the table top, the floor, the back area. He was to the point of giving up and simply replicating a new one when Commander Sisko walked into his workspace, holding none other than his seam splitter.

"Ah, Commander! How kind of you to drop in, and with just what I was needing." Garak moved to the doorway of his work area, a polite and slightly relieved smile in place.

"I noticed it sitting on the floor of your showroom." The commander handed the thing to the Cardassian and crossed his arms over his chest. "I came in to comment on the beautiful apparel that was worn at the wedding I just finished blessing. I'm impressed."

"Impressed enough to make a personal comment? Honestly Commander I'm touched." The sarcasm that he had valiantly been trying to bite back seeped into the comment, and Sisko noticed.

"Actually there was another thing. It was mentioned earlier that you snuck onto the promenade before it opened. I'm sure Constable Odo has already chewed you out for it, so I'll spare you the speech. But if you're going to circumvent the rules to get extra work done, then I understand the need to take as much time as possible, but you do know that we have channels to go through for rule exemptions." Garak maintained his professional smile, though he could feel his expression growing more hostile as he spoke.

"Thank you for informing me Commander, I will be sure to plan my last minute product rushes in advance so that I can file the proper paperwork. While I'm at it I'll also make sure to telepathically realize when I'll get a rush order or a tricky time sensitive alteration so that way I can fulfill Federation rules and regulations. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another set of particular Bajorin clientele that need their orders finished, before curfew." He turned his back on a stunned Sisko and walked purposefully into his stockroom, nearly slamming the door behind him. He heard Sisko comm something and then leave and he nearly kicked himself for being such a temperamental idiot.  
"He wasn't being unreasonable, you had no reason to blow up on him like that." He sighed and grabbed a stack of dresses that needed to be hemmed and re entered his workroom.

"I'll just busy myself with the work. Hopefully no one else will come in today." And busying himself is exactly what he did.


	10. Chapter 10

Jadzia Dax had just settled into her station in Ops when an upset looking Commander Sisko came off of the Turbolift.

"Dax. My office." She stood, worried about her friend, and concerned about what had caused him to look so distraught. A few brisk pace and she was right behind the Commander. stepping with him into his office.

"Benjamin, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." He leaned against his desk and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I just had the most disturbing conversation with our Mr. Garak." Dax smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Oh? What?.Did he confess to being a Cardassian spy?" She chuckled "Or better yet, did he reference his nefarious plots to single handedly over through DS9 and hand it back to the Cardassians?" Sisko smiled, but shook his head.

"First of all, it sounds like you've been spending too much time with Bashir. Second, no, it was nothing like that. He was simply far more confrontational and, well, I almost want to say moody."

"And that's disturbing because-"

"For the year that I have been on this station Garak had been nothing more than perfectly polite and professional in my presence. The only person I've ever seen, or heard tell of him being anywhere near casual with is Doctor Bashir. So his being so blatantly emotional-"

"Is cause for concern. Right." She took a second to think about the situation.

"Have you talked to Julian? I mean it's like you said, there really isn't anyone who knows Garak better." Sisko shrugged.

"I tried, but all I got was an, "He put on his best Bashir impression "'I'm working with our guests from the Gamma Quadrant Commander. I'll deal with Garak later.'" Dax laughed and shook her head.

"Hmm. So what can we do?"

"Nothing. It's not really our problem that Garak is in a bad mood. It just makes me-" He shivered dramatically and grinned. "- edgy."

"Well Odo is already watching him, and I'll check in on him after my shift, alright?" The Commander nodded.

"You always know what to do, Old Man." Dax laughed.

"Comes with being a mom, and a dad, and a mom again, and a -"

"I get it, I get it." Dax smiled and patted the captain's shoulder. She made her way out of the office, only to quickly poke her head back in.

"Oh, one last thing. Doctor Ka'tra is on her way up here to speak with you." She left before Sisko could respond.

* * *

No sooner did Sisko sit in his chair that the Vulcan scientist entered his office.  
"Commander I demand to speak with your doctor."

"It's nice to see you too." The Vulcan woman took a deep breath and squared her shoulders."

"My apologies. Frivolous pleasantries are not at the top of my priority list."

"And interrupting Doctor Bashir is?"

"He has had Chrangularat and Falluntralaug sealed inside his clinic for nearly six hours."

"He has been performing the physicals that are required for them to travel uninhibited in federation space. You are the one who ordered them."

"I did, with the understanding that all of the tests were to be performed on the T'Pring." Sisko shrugged.  
"If Doctor Bashir moved them to his clinic then he had a reason." He tapped his comm badge and called Bashir.

"Commander I'm sorry but if this is about Garak again I'm not-"

"No lieutenant, it's about our guests. Doctor Ka'tra is, umm, curious as to what's taking so long with their physicals."

"Well we actually finished those an hour ago. Glib and Fall have just been telling me about this trip they took to a crystal cavern on their planet's moon. It's really -"

"Alright Doctor Bashir. I think it's time that you send them back to the T'Pring." There was a pause with some distant mumbling coming from the background, and Siko nearly laughed at the nearly furious expression threatening to break through Ka'tra's Vulcan calm.

"Yes sir." The call ended and Sisko smiled warmly at the Vulcan.

"See? Nothing to it. They'll be safe on your ship before you get back to it." She nodded and strode quickly from the room. Sisko shook his head and looked over the reports that Kira had drafted from her debriefing of the T'Pring crew.


	11. Chapter 11

Kira Nerys had just finished dealing with the dreary task of processing and debriefing the crew of the _T'Pring_ when she received a call from Odo.

"Major, at your earliest convenience would you please meet me in my office." she sighed, nearly too tired to attend to the whim of her friend.

"Is it an emergency Odo? I'm kind of swamped."

"Oh no, It's just nearly time for our meeting with Doctor Bashir and I assumed from your phrasing earlier that you wanted to meet with me privately before we met with him." Kira pressed an exhausted hand to her forehead and sighe once more.

"Odo, I completely forgot about the meeting."

"Shall I cancel it then?" She seriously considered it.

"Why don't you call Doctor Bashir and tell him it's been postponed. I'm not in the mood."

"Understood."

"But keep your schedule open, once I finish this paperwork I'd like to talk to you."

"Got it." The comm line died and Kira ran her fingers through her hair tiredly. She didn't feel like going all the way down to the Security chief's office, but she knew that talking about her frustrations and worries always helped to calm her, and that there was no one better to talk to than Odo.

She finished sending the last of her reports to Sisko's office, when Jadzia walked over.

"Hey Kira, can I ask you a favour?"

"If it's work related, then don't bother. I am done working today."

"No, no. Well, A little-" Kira rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

'Well?"

"It's Garak. I need you to ask Odo if he's noticed anything peculiar going on with him?"

"Why are you so worried about Garak?" Her disbelief was mixed with enough genuine curiosity to keep the Trill talking.

"He blew up on Sisko earlier, and so Sisko asked if I could check in on him. I plan on doing that, but I want more information beforehand." Kira's brow furrowed in concern.

"That doesn't sound like Garak. The worst I've ever seen out of him was blatant sarcasm and snark, and that was when some militia men were beating the shit out of him."

"So you'll ask Odo?"

"Oh yea. We'll get to the bottom of this. I may not like him on principle, but that doesn't mean that I want him to be upset or to suffer."

"Alright."

"I do have one question. Why did Sisko give this job to you? Isn't Garak Julian's territory?" Jadzia nodded.

"He's still busy with our visitors." She paused, instinctively rubbing her chin in thought. " Though I wonder if that's not an excuse."

"That doesn't make any sense, Garak and bashir are as close to friends as Cardassians are capable of having." She scoffed, incredulity filling her voice. "Hell, the way that Garak looks at Bashir they may as well be married!" Jadzia chuckled.

"I think that's a bit of an exaggeration."

"Only a little one." Both women smiled and Jadzia rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to finish processing those shipping manifests from the the _Marani _." Kira stepped away, walking directly to the turbolift with a less dread, and more curiosity than before.

* * *

Odo sat in his office, waiting for Major Kira to come waltzing in with a huff. He knew that the best remedy for her hard days was a nice warm cup of tea, and a friendly ear. This, however, was the first time that she had blatantly canceled part of her work just to talk, which meant that today had been exceptionally trying. Something that the Changeling had found odd, as it had been -to his knowledge- a fairly routine day. Odo's computer monitors picked up Kira's presence on the promenade, and he turned to his office's replicator.

"One Tarkalean tea, 26.3 degrees celsius." The replicator whirred and a small green mug appeared, followed by a steady stream of the reddish orange liquid." No sooner did it finish than Major Kira walked through the office doors, and flopped right into her usual seat. Odo stood and grabbed the mug, from the replicator and carried it over to his guest. "Here you are one Tarkalean tea, just as you like it." The Major smiled and carefully grabbed the mug, letting her hands brush against the Constable''s.

" Thank you Odo, you always know what I need." He smiled his tight, thin smile and perched himself on the edge of his desk.

"So tell me Major, what has happened today to get you this distraught?" Kira sighed.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing! This has been the single most monotonous day of my existence. There's been no fights, no docking accidents, no disgruntled shipmates and irrate captains. Everything has gone absolutely smoothly all day today." Odo tilted his head, confused.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Well yea, I guess." She sighed once more and ran a hand over her face. "I think it was the Vulcans that did me in."

"Oh? How so?"

"They're all so-" She fought to find a word that fit . "-Dry, I guess. I mean, with nearly all of them you get the exact same reports, verbatim, and you have to write that down. After 14 crewman and a Captain it gets really boring."

"14? Aren't there 15 crewmen aboard the _T'Pring?_ "

'Yes, but the medic, Sakkhet, was not nearly as dry as the others. He seemed nearly expressive, for a Vulcan."

"Hmmm.'  
"Anyway, I guess it's just the tedium of the day. Has anything interesting happened during your day?"

"Oh, two minor scuffles at Quark's a little tiff at Garak's and this morning's incident."

"Wait, what happened this morning?"

"Doctor Bashir and Garak broke onto the Promenade before curfew." Kira laughed.

"Really?"

"Yes, they both claimed to be attempting to get extra work done, but I found both of them asleep at their stations." The Major smiled.

"You sound suspicious. "

"I am. Anything involving Garak is suspicious , and the doctor has been known to get in over his head. My thought is that they're conspiring together."

"Odo, there are dozens of reasons for them to be on the Promenade together that early in the morning. I mean, have you considered that they just happened to both be trying to catch up on some work? Like they say?" Odo harrumphed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't take things at face value Major. That often leads to errors in judgement. No, something else is going on here."

"Well what happened at Garak's shop?"

"A Bajorin man attacked Garak when he thought that Garak was making a pass at his fiance. Garak refused to press charges, so the whole incident was dismissed."

"Wait, someone attacked Garak?"

"Yes, it wasn't a vicious attack, it barely seemed to phase him, though his jaw was slightly discolored. He didn't provide any resistance.:" Kira shook her head.

"That might explain it."

"Explain what?"

"Apparently Garak was uncharacteristically vicious when Sisko spoke to him today. To the point that the Commander wants Dax to check in on him."

"Lieutenant Dax? Why not Doctor Bashir?"

"Bashir has been busy with our guests from the Gamma Quadrant. He couldn't be bothered with Garak." Odo scoffed.

"Something else must be going on there. I've never known Doctor Bashir to ignore anything involving Garak." Kira nodded.

"You're right there. He did fly to Cardassia just to attempt to help Garak when he was sick. "

"No, something else must be going there." It was at this moment that Doctor Bashir walked into the room.

"Hi, sorry I'm late, I only just got Glib and Fall back on the _T'Pring. _" He looked between The Major and the Constable and frowned.

"Am I interrupting something?" Odo sighed and opened his mouth to speak when Kira interrupted him.

"No, no, we were just discussing the need for added Promenade Security during Curfew, and we wanted to ask you if you have any suggestions." Odo turned to Kira, who ebowed his leg."

"Err, yes. Considering that you weren't met with any resistance, we thought it was pertinent to ask you." Bashir crossed his arms.

"You called this meeting yesterday." Kira nodded.

"Right well, now this meeting is about this. So, any thoughts?" Bashir shook his head.

"Aside from adding a fourth shift of guards, which seems excessive, you could add an alarm system. One that's audible on the promenade, and in the guard's quarters. That would scare off intruders, and get someone there to deal with them much more efficiently than just having the Ops signal go off." Odo nodded, his expression blank.

"Thank you doctor. That is, umm, helpful." Bashir put his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels.

"Is there anything else you needed? Or can I go back to work?" Odo stood from his perch on the desk.

"Umm, I don't think-"

"Actually." Kira said, as she stood quickly from her chair and faced the doctor. "What's going on with you and Garak?" The doctor jumped slightly and crossed his arms over his chest, his entire demeanor changing.

"Nothing. Why do you ask." Kira sighed and leaned back against Odo's desk.

"Julian, you are the go-to guy for Garak problems. Usually, if he so much as frowns you are right there to interrogate him about it. As far as we can tell you're the closest thing he has to a best friend."

"Or any friend for that matter." Odo mumbled.

"I don't see where you're going with this."

"Talk to Garak, Julian. He's not acting like himself today, and frankly you're the only person on this station even remotely qualified to." Bashir nodded and then shook his head, slight panic rising in his chest.

"No. I'm sorry, but everyone is allowed to have a bad day. Especially Garak. I mean living on this station already has him on edge, and I highly doubt that he's fully recovered from that incident with the implant. Who knows what has him upset!" He threw his hand into the air to accent the point, and then sighed, his whole body appearing to sag. "Look, you came to me as the leading knowledge on Garak,so here's my advice. Leave him alone. Let him deal with things his way. It isn't our place to go around meddling in other peoples personal lives." The doctor backed slowly to the doors, waiting for them to open. "Unless he's experiencing a medical emergency don't ask me about it again. I have work to do." He turned and left. Kira spun on Odo and smacked his arm.

"I thought you canceled the meeting!" Odo cringed away.

"My apologies major, it slipped my mind." Kira sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Yea well at least now we _know_ that whatever's got Garak upset involves Julian." Odo frowned.

"Indeed. He was extremely uncomfortable the moment Garak's name was mentioned, and then he got agitated and dismissive. Which is suspicious. Do you think it could have anything to do with this morning?" Kira shook her head.

"I don't know. But we aren't going to be able to figure it out by pure speculation. I'll tell Dax what we know and then she can talk to Garak."

"What makes you think that she can get anything out of Garak? The man is as deceptive as a Triniallian Hiding bat."

"She's a few centuries old Odo. If anybody could figure out how to get something out of Garak, it's her." Odo sighed and slid into his chair.

"I hope you're right Major." As much as Odo didn't want to admit it, he was worried for he doctor, and even a little concerned for the Cardassian.


	12. Chapter 12

Elim Garak was finishing up his work for the day when he received a call. He walked over to the comm panel and was greeted with the sound of Lieutenant Dax's voice.

"Garak?" He took a deep breath, switching on the chipper and polite persona that he used far too often.

"Yes Lieutenant, what can I do for you on this fine afternoon?"

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me coming down after my shift for a consultation. I know it's after your shop's hours, but I'd consider it a personal favor." He rolled his eyes at the obviously flirtatious slurring of her words and wondered how that worked on any intelligent humanoid.

"Consider it done. Anything for the lovely Jadzia Dax." He could practically hear her smile, and shook his head.

"Great, I'll be down in about an hour."

"I'll be waiting with bated breath." The comm line died and Garak pressed two fingers two his temple and sighed. He then pulled out the PADD that held his schedule for the day and noted that he had unfinished deliveries. Thankfully it appeared to be other merchants on the Promenade, so finding the buyers wasn't going to be an arduous task. He made his way into his storage room and located the garment bags that he needed, making sure to check that each one was a completed ensemble, and not missing stitches or fasteners. One incident with an irate Bajorin was enough for the day. He gathered them up and stuffed his PADD into his trouser pocket before heading for the door. Unlike most merchants Garak didn't have to worry about leaving his shop unattended. No one bothered to steal clothing from him. He was lucky that people bought them. It was this small mental reassurance that kept him from pausing to close the shop's gate as he headed onto the promenade, and smacked straight into another pedestrian

Garak staggered backwards slightly, more than a little incensed by the audacity of anyone who would walk so carelessly into someone else in such a vast space. He bit back his retort when he noticed exactly who it was that he had run into.

"Doctor Bashir! I'm sorry, are you alright?" His concern was genuine, as the doctor was holding his stomach tightly.

"Garak! Yes, yes I'm fine." He took a deep breath. "Just winded." There was an awkward pause as they both glanced at each other and then around. It was Garak who spoke first.

"So, rushing off to get ready for your big date?" Bashir nodded, and then tilted his head.

"Well I wouldn't call it a BIG date, just dinner with Tarina." Garak's eyes widened in surprise.

"The Betazoid Dabo girl?" The tailor was dismayed to hear that actual surprise and disbelief had seeped into his voice. Bashir seemed upset about it as well, as his eyes took on a defensive glint.

"You sound shocked. Garak, I am capable of getting dates with attractive females." Garak readjusted the garment bags he was holding as an excuse to organize his words carefully.

"Oh I'm not questioning that. I'm simply surprised that Tarina is your choice date. She's well-"

"Well what, Garak." Bashir bit off his words, and Garak decided that he may as well say what he thought, after all, he had made up his mind to sever their relationship.

"I didn't think she was your type. I thought you prefered people who were intruging, Doctor. Living breathing enigmas, like Lieutenant Dax or myself." He knew as soon as he'd muttered the last words that he'd made a mistake. A large one. With that in mind, he didn't wait for Bashir's responce. "If you'll excuse me, I have deliveries to make before my date with the Lieutenant tonight, I'd like to be punctual." He stepped around a open mouthed Bashir and hurried down the promenade dogging and switching so as not to be followed. He was already halfway to the sweets stand before he heard the doctor shout something unintelligible. He pushed down the discomfort in his stomach and smiled warmly at the large Bajorin woman behind the counter.

"Fala Maru, how are you this afternoon?" The woman gave the Cardassian a gap toothed smile.

"I'm doing fine Garak. Come with ma' new dress?" Garak pulled the Garment bag out of the stack in his arms and displayed it proudly for her. She pulled it over the counter and appraised it through the cover.

"Looks as good as usual. I'll be back to you next month for another one." Garak nodded.

"I'm glad to hear it." He pulled the PADD from his pocket and keyed in her order. "If you'd just press here to pay, I'll be on my way." The woman nodded and pressed her thumb to the center of the oval screen, huffing when the scan was complete.

"All the money I waste because of you Cardassian." She laughed and Garak chuckled along, ignoring the small dig.

"Have a nice day." She nodded effectively dismissing him. He made his way to the second level of the promenade just in time to see a rather flustered looking Bashir scanning around, looking for something. Or someone. Just when the Doctor looked at the upper level, Garak ducked into the Klingon Restaurant, only to be firmly embraced by the chef and owner Ahikar Brogok.

"Garak! My friend! Have you finally finished those uniforms of mine?" Garak backed away from the Klingon and straightened his clothing. using the pause to collect himself.

"Indeed I have. Here you are. Two Master Chef's err, uniforms, tailored and ready." The Klingon clapped him hard on the back and grabbed the garment bags.

"Where do I sign?" The tailor pulled the PADD from his pocket and the klingon pressed a grapok sauce stained thumb against the pad screen.

"There. Pleasure doing buisness with you." He left politely and rubbed the screen of the PADD with the inside of his sleeve, dreading to find out what the back of his tunic looked like. Having finished his deliveries , he scanned the Promenade for signs of the doctor and, finding none, made his way back to his shop.


	13. Chapter 13

Julian Bashir wondered the Promenade for approximately ten minutes searching for Garak before he realized that he had no idea what to say to the man when he found him. He sighed and headed back to his quarters to freshen up for his dinner. Hopefully a nice evening with a beautiful woman like Trarina would be enough to clear his thoughts of Garak.

* * *

Garak had entered his shop just minutes before Jadzia Dax showed up out of breath with her hair framing her face like a lions mane, and her uniform torn and dirtied. Garak stood from his seat behind the counter with alarm.

"Good heavens! Lieutenant what's the matter? Do I need to call Constable Odo?Or perhaps the doctor?" She shook her head and straightened her back, vainly attempting to tame her hair with her fingers.

"The turbolift got stuck halfway down from Ops." She took a deep breath. "I crawled out, but I was still three levels from here, so I had to take the scenic route." Garak grimaced appropriately, though he found the whole spectacle almost amusing.

"And your hair?"

"My clip snagged on one of the overhangs in the conduits. Its completely useless now." She pulled the shattered fragments of the sliver clip from her pocket as evidence. Garak shook his head.

"Would you like to borrow one of mine?" Jadzia looked at Garak with a mixture of surprise and disbelief.

"You have a hair clip?" He nodded and briefly vanished into his workspace, before he emerged with a small metal box.

"Believe it or not, my hair does get rather unruly at times. It's hard to do precision work when your hair is falling in your face." He opened the box to reveal an assortment of decorative combs and clips and hair ties, along with a few that seemed designed to disappear when worn.

"Some of these are beautiful." Garak cleared his throat and glanced to the side.

"Yes well, Cardassians do have a deep appreciation for art and beauty." Jadzia hummed and carefully admired each piece.

"Do you mind if I borrow this one?" She pulled an intricate clip from box and examined it. It appeared to be made out of extraordinarily small disks of silver with small designs etched onto each one overlapping like scales. Garak smiled.

"A fine choice. That one was from Cardassia prime. Each disk holds part of an old poem on it. Together it's supposed to say 'Strength is of the mind and heart, to forget is to er' eternal.'" Jadzia ran her thumbs over the inscription.

"Garak that's beautiful. I can't borrow it. It's too pretty." She tried to hand it back, but he held up a hand and shook his head.

"Nonsense. Consider it an act of good faith. You are here on business are you not?" Jadzia nodded, still examining the clip.

"Are you sure it's alright?" Garak snapped the box shut and placed it on the counter.

"Absolutely." She pulled her hair back and twisted it up onto her head, securing it in the back with the clip. Garak nodded to himself and grabbed a scanner from the counter. "Now about those clothes." He pursed his lips slightly, before snatching a dress from one of the show racks.

"This should fit you well enough. That is until I can get you an actually dress made." Jadzia shook her head.

"Garak, I know you mean well but-"

"But you need your uniform patched, and I'm the person you'd take it to. The process will go quicker if I don't have to wait for you to remember that you've ripped it. Now if you feel so bad about wearing a dress you don't own, I'll add it to your tab." He Moved her to the changing rooms and the Trill sighed.

"Fine. Fine. I'll put on the dress." She slammed the heavy curtain behind herself and emerged a few moments later in the deep purple gown with her uniform draped over her arm. Garak took the uniform and set it on the counter.

"I have to admit Garak, I kind of like this one." She examined the dress in the mirror, running her fingers over the sheer fabric covering her legs and turning to admire how the dress hugged her curves, while the handkerchief cut didn't clash with her work boots. "The only thing is the neckline. It's a bit, low, isn't it?" Garak rolled his eyes and sighed.

"It's a loan outfit Lieutenant I'll remember that you prefer a more modest neckline with your dress order." She smiled and turned to face the Cardassian.

"Still, it's pretty." Garak nodded.

"Now that you're put together again, let's get your measurements." He held up the scanner. "Arms out straight please." Jadzia grudgingly obliged.  
"Is this really necessary? I mean, you have my measurements from last time don't you?" Garak nodded, squinting at the readout on the scanner.

"Yes, but news of your vigorous holodeck workouts has not gone unnoticed." The scanner beeped and Garak nodded. "Just as I suspected, you've changed sizes." Jadzia frowned, crossing her arms and stepped to peer at the scanner over Garak's shoulder.

"I have?" Garak held the scanner out to her.

"You've gone down three measures in your waist, up two in your arms, and you seem to have grown nearly three centimeters. Remarkable for someone your age." Dax shrugged.

"Not really. Trills often grow taller in small increments until we hit middle age." She stuck out her ankle and examined it. " That does explain why my uniform has been high watering a bit lately." Garak nodded, waving for the Trill to follow him into his workspace.

"Now that I have my measurements, what kind of dress were you wanting?" He let her sit down in front of his work table and set out a few paper sketchbooks. He tapped the cover of the first one, "Casual dresses" pointed to the second "semi-formal, and the last one is gowns. Just thumb through them and see what you like." Jadzia flipped through the book in the middle, and let out a low whistle.

"Garak, these dresses are gorgeous. Did you design these?" He nodded a genuine smile crossing his features.

"Indeed I did. I find that customers, such as yourself, appreciate one of a kind pieces. " She turned in the chair and grinned at the Cardassian broadly, clasping her hands to her chest.

"Couldn't you just-" She paused, thin lipped as she searched for her thought. "- choose for me. I have no idea what I'm looking for." Garak thought for a moment and then seemed to have an idea.

"If you'd give me a moment, I believe I have just the design. I just finished it yesterday." He quickly strode from the room. The moment he was out of sight, Dax hit her comm badge.

"Dax to Sisko."

"Sisko here."

"He seems fine Benjamin. If anything, he seems even more agreeable than usual."

"Odd. Maybe it's me." Dax smiled.

"Maybe. Though I have to admit that something feels-" She shrugged lightly, and pursed her lips.  
"I get you old man. See if you can get more out of him than a new dress." She nodded to herself.  
"understood. " The line died, just as Garak returned.

"Here we are." He handed her the papers, though he furrowed his brow ridges.

"My dear Lieutenant, you look perplexed. Whatever is the matter?" Dax Jumped slightly and panickedly pointed at the row of fabrics stacked along the back wall.

"I was just considering which fabrics I'd like for this-" She looked at the papers in her hands and gasped. "-absolutely gorgeous dress. Garak this is beautiful!" Dax was being honest. The design was absolutely stunning. It was a floor length gown with slits cut up to the hip bones, and a daringly low straight neckline matching off the shoulder sleeves. The sleeves were held up by what appeared to be metal bands, and the were split to show most of the arms. There was a Triangular pattern that extended the entire length of the bodice.

"This looks like something Lela used to wear."

"Lela?"

"My first host. She loved to show off her spots, and constantly wore dresses cut far higher than was proper." She smiled at the memories of a previous life. "She had to stop when she got into politics." She squinted at Garak. "Where did you get the idea for this?" Garak smiled.

"I was doing a wedding gown for one of my young Bajorin customers, and she requested something-well- non Bajorin. So I designed something far more Cardassian. This was one of my first drafts, so to speak." He chuckled. "It's a bit risque for a wedding gown." Dax hummed in agreement.

"Is there anyway to get this made in the next two months?" Garak nodded.

"I can assure you that you'll have it in two weeks time." She smiled and stood from her chair, though she hesitated to leave.

"Is there something else I can do for you Lieutenant? Perhaps something involving your call to commander Sisko?" Jadzia blushed and looked away.

"You heard that huh?" Garak chuckled.

"I'm Cardassian, not deaf. If you want to talk, let's talk. How about over dinner?" Jadzia blinked in mild surprise, before shrugging her shoulders.

"I see no reason why not. You do realize that you'll have to answer my questions." Garak laughed as he ushered her out onto the shop floor.  
"I can assure you Lieutenant, I can answer questions."

"Honestly?"

"Yes. I honestly have the ability to answer your questions." Dax sighed and rolled her eyes.

"How does Julian put up with you?" Garak seemed to freeze for a moment, which caught Jadzia's attention, before he shrugged.

"I suppose his unwavering belief that I am a spy is enough to keep his interest." They stepped onto the Promenade and Garak pulled the gate down, effectively closing his shop. "So my dear Lieutenant, shall we eat at Quark's? Or would you prefer the Klingon restaurant?"

"Quark's sounds fine." Garak smiled and started down the Promenade with Dax at his side.


	14. Chapter 14

Julian Bashir had been sitting at his table at Quark's for nearly fifteen minutes, staring glumly into his drink when Chief O'Brien sat down in front of him. Bashir looked up with a warm smile, until he realized who was sitting across from him.

"Oh Chief. It's you." He swirled his drink and grimaced. O'Brien scoffed and shook his head.

"Nice to see you too." Bashir sighed.

"Sorry. It's just, you're not Tarina."

"Gee I hope not. Keiko'd be furious to find out I've been moonlighting as a Dabo Girl." Bashir chuckled and O'Brien smiled.

"See? I knew you still had some good humour left in ya. Now, what's got you so glum?" Julian shrugged.

"Nothing really. I've just got a lot on my mind." The Chief hummed.

"Is it anything about Garak?" He held up a hand to cut off any comment from the doctor. "Word's been going around the station that something's up with him, and that somehow you're involved." He chuckled. "Not that it'd surprise me. You two seem thick as thieves sometimes." Bashir sighed and downed the rest of his tea.  
"Look, Chief, you can go tell Odo or Kira or whoever asked you to check on me, that I'm fine. I'm just a regular guy, waiting on his-" Tarina stepped into view, just behind O'Brien. "Tarina!." He stood from his seat.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something. I wasn't aware that I was your second date of the evening." Her tone was joking, but O'Brien quickly clambered from his chair.

"I was just leaving." He nodded to Bashir. "Julian." before walking down the steps to the main area of Quark's. Bashir moved to pull Tarina's seat out for her, in which she sat with a quiet giggle. The Doctor smiled warmly at her as he took his own seat.

"You look lovely tonight." She giggled again and smiled, her thick black curls bouncing as she moved.

"You don't look so bad yourself." Bashir groaned inwardly at the cliche, but continued to smile nonetheless. A Ferengi waiter stepped over to take their orders.  
"I'll have the plomeek soup, and some Corellian Brandy."

"And for the female?" Tarina shrugged.

"I'll get the same." The waiter nodded and walked away, leaving Julian alone with his date.

"So." He said, struggling to conjure up a topic of conversation. "What brings a beautiful woman like you to the end of the Alpha Quadrant." The woman giggled again.

"I got bored with the Family business, so I left. I thought that I'd travel as far as I could, and I'd work my back home." Julian nodded, folding his hands on the table.

"Family Business?" She smiled wider.

"Oh yes. My father is a merchant." She tapped Julian's hand and wiggled in her seat." Perhaps you've heard of him!" Julian shrugged.

"I may have."

" Does the name Weston Zenithar ring a bell?" A glass broke nearby, and Quark came sprinting over to their table.  
"Weston Zenithar? _The_ Weston Zenithar?" She nodded and Julian rolled his eyes. "Tarina, how have you worked here this long without telling me that your father is one of the biggest merchants in the Federation?" She shrugged.

"To me it's just my father." Quark's expression seemed to scream profit, and Bashir huffed.

"Quark, we're on a date, not in a business meeting. could you please leave us alone?" The Ferengi nodded, slowly walking away and mumbling to himself as if in a daze. "Sorry about Quark." She batted the air and giggled again.

"No need Doctor, he's just doing what Ferengi's do best." Julian nodded.

"Oh, and no need for titles. Just call me Julian." He put on his most charming expression and Tarina blushed.

"Alright, Julian." She smiled.

"So, how does the daughter of-" He put on a ridiculously exaggerated impression of Quark. "one of the biggest merchants in the Federation' end up here, as a Dabo Girl in Quark's?" Tarina shrugged, bouncing slightly in her seat.

"Even wealthy people crave adventure. I wanted to see the universe, and you can't do that just by buying your way in everywhere. I've found that the best way to learn about the world is through the eyes of those on the lowest rung. What's lower than being a Dabo Girl in a Ferengi Bar out in the middle of nowhere?" Julian was flabbergasted. He had just chalked Tarina up as a ditsy heiress who'd been taken advantage off by an opportunistic Ferengi. Instead this bubbly Betazoid was actually wise. "You're surprised, I know. I come across as a bit of an airhead." Julian tried to protest, but she just smiled and shook her head. "It's okay. everyone thinks so. I'm a Dabo Girl, after all."  
"Apparently you're a lot more than that." She laughed.

"No I'm not. The truth is I like being a Dabo Girl. It may be frowned upon, but it's not a bad job. It takes a lot of calculations to make sure that a player isn't cheating the odds or manipulating the wheel."

"Indeed. You know I've-" His sentence was cut short by the entrance of Garak and Jadzia from from the upper level of the Promenade. Jazia looked absolutely stunning, far over dressed to be in Quark's. Garak led her to a table just opposite of where the doctor was sitting on the U shaped second level of the bar. He pulled the chair out for her and then seated himself, before glancing over in Julian's direction. Bashir was so disturbed by the whole of the proceedings that he immediately turned away and faced straight forward in his seat. If Tarina had noticed his distraction, then she had chosen to ignore it.  
"As I was saying, Dabo is a very complex game when you really want to learn about it." Julian nodded. A pit forming in his stomach. He shakily smiled at Tarina.

"I believe you. Why don't you tell me more about the intricacies of Dabo?" The woman sighed and hooked her fingers under the doctor's chin.

"You've lost all interest in me, haven't you." Julian's eyes widened in horror.

"No! Tarina!" She shook her head, her sultry smile turning sweet.

"Julian, I'm a Betazoid. I can tell when someone's not into me." She looked across at Garak and Jadzia's table, where they were ordering their meal. "I can also tell when someone's into someone else." Julian jumped in his seat and stared at Tarina with abject horror.

"You don't think I'm- Jadzia made it clear that she's not- I'm not- I'm over her." The Betazoid shook her head and laughed.

"Oh Julian." Quark returned with their order, delivered with a flourish.

"Here you are, two glasses of Corellian Brandy and two bowls of plomeek soup." He placed a bottle of the brandy on the table. "This is on the house." He winked at Tarina and then glanced between her and Bashir. "What's the matter doctor? You look like someone just stole everything you own." The doctor shook his head and muttered.  
"I'm fine Quark." The Ferengi scoffed.

"You're about as fine as Odo is cheerful." He looked to Tarina for an explanation, but she just giggled and shrugged. Clearly she had adopted her ditsy persona for dealing with her boss. "Eh. I'll leave you two alone." He smiled lecherously at Tarina. "Just ask if you need anything." She nodded, another giggle accompanying the gesture. Quark shook his head as he walked off. The moment that she knew he wasn't paying attention she reached out and grabbed the doctor's hand, and her expression fell into a more serious expression.  
"Julian. I know that you've been fighting with it for a while, but I think it's time that you confessed to yourself exactly what you're feeling." The doctor sighed.

"I don't feel anything for Jadzia past friendship and, perhaps, a mild attraction. But I'm honestly done with chasing her." Tarina shook her head and took a sip of her Brandy before patting Bashir's hand.

"You know as well as I do that I'm not talking about Jadzia."


	15. Chapter 15

Miles O'Brien sat at Quark's bar with a pint in his hand, staring up at the balcony. Major Kira had asked him to watch Bashir to find out what's wrong with him. So far he'd only been able to come to the same conclusion that she had. Something's going on with him and Garak. When he had noticed Jadzia and the Cardassian walk in together and take a seat on the second level, he had jumped to an unsettling conclusion. Garak and Jadzia where on a date. Miles recognized that this may very well be what had the young doctor so upset. After all, he'd been tailing Lieutenant Dax for well over a year now, for his best friend to go behind him like that? The chief took a swig of his beer and shook his head. Odo walked in and sat next to the chief.

"Figure anything out yet?" Miles shook his head.

"Nothing conclusive. He's not acting like himself. He wouldn't even talk about the issue."

"You're right. That is uncharacteristic. Usually he jumps at the opportunity to talk. Especially about himself." O'Brien chuckled.

"Yea. Still, I have an idea." He hooked his thumb over his shoulder, and the changeling swiveled around on his stool.

"What am I looking at?"

"Second level, third table from the end." There was a pause as the Constable scanned for the spot, and then a soft sigh.

"Oh. Well, that puts things into perspective."  
"What does?" Quark appeared behind the bar, polishing a glass. Odo spun back around and glared at the Ferengi.

"None of your business Quark." The bartender shrugged.

"If it has anything to do with Doctor Bashir, I may have information for you." O'Brien glanced at Odo, who sighed.

"Quark, what do you know about Doctor Bashir?" The Ferengi smiled and leaned against the bar.

"What's this info worth to you?" Odo grabbed the front of the Ferengi's shirt and dragged him over the bar until their noses touched.

"The question is, is it worth risking serving time in the brig for obstruction of justice?" Quark gaped at the changeling.

"Alright! Alright I'll talk." Odo let go of quark and he slid back behind the bar.

"When I brought him and Tarina dinner, he looked like he'd just lost his best friend, and she seemed completely oblivious to it. It was clear that I'd interrupted a conversation, so I walked off." O'Brien shrugged.

"So?"  
"So, once she thought I was out of earshot, she told him to come to terms with his feelings, or something. And he protested that he had, he was over Jadzia, yatta yatta." Quark picked up another glass, and stated polishing it. Odo frowned.

"Is that it?"

"Basically. I mean she did say something weird about knowing that it wasn't Jadzia he was upset about, but I mean who else could it be? She walks in with Garak dressed to kill and it's no secret that they've been playing a game of cat and mouse since they got here." Odo froze with a wide eyed stare at the Ferengi, before hopping off of his seat.

"Chief come with me." O'Brien quickly downed the rest of his beer and ran after the changeling, leaving Quark to shout after them.

"You'll have to pay for that!"


	16. Chapter 16

Garak and Jadzia had settled into their seats and ordered their dinner before she noticed Julian on the other side of the level. He looked miserable, even with someone as chipper as Tarina clearly trying to cheer him up. She also seemed concerned that Garak, who would have noticed the doctor's attitude by now, seemed to be ignoring it.

"So, Lieutenant, what is it that Commander Sisko wanted you to ask me?" He smiled at her and Dax sighed.

"He wants to know more about-" The waiter delivered their dinner and drinks, which prompted Garak to take a long swig from his glass of Kanar. "-about your outburst today" Garak nodded.

"I expected as much. I wrote him a note of apology on the matter. What I said was completely inexcusable.." Jadzia smiled and poked at the plate of greens before her.

"He wasn't mad ,Garak, he was concerned. You're not exactly known for your temper." The tailor sighed and downed the rest of his Kanar before waving for another.

"Yes, well, it's been a trying day. The Captain just happened to arrive at an inopportune moment." He inclined his head and smiled. "I did explain all of this in my note." Jadzia rolled her eyes and sipped at her Blood Wine.

"I'm sure you had an explanation, yes, but I'm here to find the truth." She glanced over at Julian once more, and noticed that he was blushing profusely. "So let's start at the beginning of your day." Garak chuckled and leaned back in his seat/

"A logical place to begin an interrogation." Jadzia sighed.  
"It's not an interrogation Garak, its-" He smiled, accepting the new glass of Kanar from the waiter, he motioned for him to simply bring the bottle.

"If the word interrogation upsets you, then we'll call it a friendly conversation." He smiled at her warmly." I must say that I've had less attractive, err, friends " She rolled her eyes and took a bite of her food.

"Nice try Garak. but we both know that you're not interested in me. Charm isn't going to get you out of this."

"Oh I'm sure you're right. You've turned Julian down at least a dozen times. Charm seems to have no effect on you." Jadzia quirked an eyebrow at the odd comment.

"You find Julian charming?" She swore that she saw the slightest color change on the Cardassians face. His expression didn't change, but he drank nearly all of his second glass of Kanar.

"It's not a personal opinion Lieutenant, it's a fact. Ask any woman on the station how they'd describe Doctor Bashir, and charming would be in the first three words." The Cardassian knew that he was digging himself further into a hole that he couldn't lie his way out of, but he couldn't see any reason not too. He'd just as good as told Julian his thought's earlier. Why not let Jadzia figure it out as well?

"I'm not asking every woman on the station. I'm asking you." Garak glanced over at the table where Julian sat, and inadvertently caught the doctor's eye. He sighed when Julian turned away from him quickly.

"Did you know that I used to be a gardener?" Jadzia frowned, unsure where the Cardassian was going.

"Oh?" The bottle of Kanar arrived and he quickly poured himself another glass, slowly sipping from it.

"Yes. I was well known on Cardassia for being able to grow flowers in even the most stubborn of climates. And not just any flowers Lieutenant, but Edosian Orchids. As notorious for their difficulty to cultivate as they are for their vibrant colors." He sighed and swirled his spoon in the stew before him. " While others simply saw the charm and difficulty in cultivating it, I saw that was as tenacious as it was beautiful. It didn't need to be pampered so much as taught. Once you trained the sprout to survive on less water, and to stand in the arid Cardassian soil, it was perfectly content to do so. It wanted to grow. And I strongly admired the flower for that." Jadzia nodded slowly, trying to piece together what Garak was saying. It was such a random story, but he spoke with such passion that she couldn't help but search for the meaning behind it. She sipped her wine and then it hit her.

"The flower is Julian!" Garak smiled at her, but shook his head.

"I thought that I mentioned that the flower is the Edosian Orchid." Jadzia frowned.

"Then what's the point?" Garak chuckled and finished off another drink, the slight buzz loosening him up.

"The point is that I admire tenacity, cunning and beauty." Jadzia nodded.

"Are those the three things that you'd use to describe Julian?" He smiled and poured yet another glass.

"I used them to describe the Edosian Orchid. However you can take that however you want." Jadzia sighed.

"But how does any of that relate to your altercation with Sisko, unless." She ran through all of the information that Kira had given her and she smiled. "You and Bashir slept together last night." Garak spat out a mouthful of Kanar, flushed blue, and gaped at the Trill.

"We most certainly did not." Jadzia sighed and propped herself up on one arm.

"Fine. But it has to have something to do with Julian." She glanced back over at Bashir, who was staring at Garak curiously. "Are you jealous that he's out with Tarina? Because if that's the case

you have nothing to worry about. I know from first hand experience that she's not exactly his type." Garak ran his hand over his face and huffed.

"I am not jealous of Doctor Bashir's relationship with Tarina. I have nothing to be jealous over. He is a grown man, with his own interests and desires, and so am I."

"But you wish he was interested in you." Garak sat his glass on the table and moved his chair backwards.

"I believe I've had enough of this." He went to stand, but Jadzia caught his sleeve and coaxed him to sit down.  
"Garak, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. He's an attractive young man. And he's interested in you." Garak sighed.

"You say that with such certainty Lieutenant, but I can assure you he is not." Dax sat up in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh? Well how can you assure me of that." The tailor grew quiet and pointed at the table where Bashir and Tarina had been sitting.

"Because, my dear Dax, he left with her."


	17. Chapter 17

Dinner had evolved from Bashir vehemently denieing having anything but platonic feelings for the tailor, to him arguing about how a relationship of any kind wouldn't work between them. He and Tarina now strolled the promenade trading points on the subject.

"It simply won't work! Even if you're right about Garak and Jadzia not being on a date, which I seriously doubt. He obviously has feelings for her. I mean, I'm not exactly an expert on Cardassian physiology, but there can't be that many reasons for him to blush that hard." Tarina laughed and shook her head, fixing her black eyes on the doctor.

"Do you want to know what was said?" Bashir stopped walking, a mischievous smile threatening to break across his face.

"What? What could Jadzia possibly had said that could turn someone as controlled as Garak that particular shade of Indigo." Tarian smiled, as she bent down and whispered Jadzia's exact words into Julian's ear. The doctor covered his mouth to stifle his laughter.

"You cannot be serious. In what context is that even a plausible conclusion to jump to?" Tarina shrugged.

"I wasn't paying enough attention at the time to know." He shook his head and leaned against the railing of the second level.  
"If Jadzia said that, and was serious enough about it that Garak reacted as he did, then it's fairly safe to assume that they were discussing me. But why?" He resumed walking along the Promenade, his hands moving wildly as he spoke.

"Why was Jadzia with Garak in the first place? He had said that they had a date, and she was certainly dressed for one. So why would I come up in the conversation in that particular context?" Tarina smiled.

"Jadzia wasn't on a date. Whether Garak thought that it was a date or not, I'm not sure, but it doesn't take telepathy to know that she didn't think of their dinner in that way." Julian's brow furrowed in confusion.

"How did you get that?"

"You said it yourself. She was dressed up. Which is odd, as she never dresses out for a date. She usually just wears whatever she had on that day." Julian nodded, considering it.

"So why was she and Garak there unless-" Julian smacked the side of his head as the answer to his own question hit him. :"Of course! When I refused to check in on Garak, Sisko must have gotten Jadzia to do it."

"Why did you refuse to talk to Garak though?" The doctor blushed and sighed.

"I'm not proud to admit it, but I was more than a little nervous. My whole day had been a whole series of revelations on the subject of Garak, and frankly, I didn't want to face it." He ran her fingers through his hair. "I still don't" Tarina placed her hand on his shoulder and gently guided him to the view port.

"The Bajoran people believe that the prophets create only one Path for each person. No matter how much one struggles or fights, in the end, they will always end up following the Prophets."

"And what do Betazoid believe?" She smiled.

"In the Truth. That love is the thing that binds all people together. It doesn't matter what type of love, platonic, romantic, sexual, intellectual. It is the way of all beings to love other peoples. We also believe in being true to yourself, by loving yourself. There's a whole connection between that and traditional Betazoid wedding ceremonies, but I digress." She shook his shoulder lightly. "You've just gotta let love dictate what you do. There is no place for logic, or worry or fear. Only affection." He laughed and placed his hand over hers on his shoulder.

"I get what you're saying. I should be honest with myself and with Garak." She nodded and stepped around him. " I still don't think love is the right word for me to use when referring to Garak. That just feels wrong." She giggled and rolled her eyes at the mildly disgusted expression on his face.  
"Whatever you need to call it to make yourself comfortable Doctor." He laughed and embraced her tightly.

"Thank you Tarina." She pulled away and giggled.

"You're very welcome Julian." Her expression fell and she spun around to face the section of promenade directly in front of Quark's. Julian frowned and followed her gaze.

"What it it? What's wrong?" It was then that Garak stumbled out of Quark with a flustered looking Dax right behind him. The moment the Cardassian laid eyes on Julian, he lunged forward.


	18. Chapter 18

After Bashir had left Quark's with his date, Garak had become extremely chipper, complete evading every one of Dax's questions by recounting some humorous anecdote he's heard. In the process of twenty minutes he'd managed to drink his way through nearly two bottles of Kanar. It seemed to Dax that every glass of liquor made him louder and friendlier. She had been helpless to stop this accelerated downward spiral, eventually succeeding in getting him out of the bar only when Quark threatened to have the tailor locked up until he sobered up. By this point, he was acting downright obnoxious, and the Trill was desperate to get away from him. Her plan had been to quickly dump Garak in his quarter, make sure he was comfortable, knock him out with a mild sedative, and then meet up with Sisko and Kira to discuss what she'd learned. Instead, Garak had seen Bashir talking with Tarina, and gone to do something about it.

"Doctor!" He bellowed, an unsettling grin plastered on his face as he clambered towards the doctor. Bashir gave an apologetic look to Tarina, who nodded and continued down the promenade. He then jogged to meet Garak, gently catching him when he stumbled slightly. The Cardassian laughed and clapped Julian on the back. Hard.

"Garak!" The doctor huffed, securing one arm around the Cardassian's shoulder to support him.

"Julian! What an absolutely terrific thing to see you here." His eyes focused on the retreating form of Tarina and he pouted.

"Oh my. I'm terribly sorry. Did I interrupt your date?" His tone was more than enough to convince the doctor that he was in no way sorry for his actions.

"No, actually, she was just leaving." Garak frowned.

"Pity." Dax waved at Julian and mouthed that she was going to leave. The doctor wanted to beg her to help him with the Cardassian, but thought better of it. She looked desperate to get going, and more than a little tired. He nodded at her and she scampered back into Quarks. Julian sighed and spun him and Garak around, before they started walking down the Promenade.

"So, Garak, just how much did you drink?" The tailor shrugged, a gesture that forced Bashir to move his arm to Garak's waist in order to continue to support him.

"No more than a few glasses." Bashir rolled his eyes and hummed.

"And how many bottles did it take to fill these few glasses." Garak chuckled and turned to gaze at the doctor.

"Not even two. Honestly Julian, I have more control than you think." His tone was far more sober than Bashir thought possible, and the unsteadiness in the Tailor's steps seemed to lessen greatly. The doctor suddenly became very aware of his arm around Garak's waist. He blushed profusely, yet he couldn't bring himself to move his hand. "Don't get me wrong. I'm pleasantly light headed, but not nearly enough to be anywhere near completely inebriated." The doctor smiled slightly.

"I knew that something was up. You've never before called me Julian." He stressed the last word, and he felt Garak tense.

"My apologies Doctor. I wasn't aware of my slip of the tongue." Julian frowned and shook his head.

"That's not what I meant Garak. I don't mind being called Julian, it is my name after all." They finally reached the turbolift, and Bashir let go of Garak's waist. The tailor frowned, and didn't speak until the turbolift doors were shut.

"Habitat ring level 4" He turned to the doctor. " You call me by my second name." Bashir' brow furrowed in confusion.

"What?"

"Honestly Doctor I do hate repeating myself. I said that you always call me by my second name. I'm only returning the favor." Bashir ran his fingers through his already mussed hair.

"Garak, until I met Enabran Tain, I didn't know that you had a first name!" the turbolift stopped, and the pair stepped out into the corridor. "You introduced yourself as "plain, simple Garak" So I assumed that you were named Garak." The reached the door to the tailor's quarters and stopped. Bashir sighed. "If you wanted me to call you Elim, you could have said something." Garak froze for a moment, before shaking his head and walking into his quarters. Bashir followed him in. When several moments passed in silence, with Garak refusing to even look at the doctor, Bashir cleared his throat and glanced around. When that garnered no response he nodded and turned away from the Cardassian, towards the door. It was then that Garak spoke.

"Elim is dead." Bashir spun around, surprised that Garak was now standing barely a dozen centimeters away. "He died when I went into exile. I killed him." Bashir nodded slowly, previous conversations floating to the surface.

"Back when you were- when that implant malfunctioned, and you spoke of Elim being the one who brought you to this point. The one who let you fall into exile. You were speaking of, what, an old you? A life that you'd left behind?" The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Basically, Elim is-was, the spy. The assassin, the Obsidian order operative." The tailor looked wide eyed at Bashir. "But Garak."

"Yes" He waited excitedly for the doctor to piece together the rest of the puzzle.

"Garak is the tailor. The simple man making an honest living on DS9." Garak nearly shouted with joy that the doctor had finally figured it out. In a brief outburst of pride and elation he gripped the sides of Bashir's face and kissed him firmly.

"That's it doctor! Over a year and you've finally gotten it." Bashir simply stood there, stock still and stunned. Garak had kissed him, and was babbling on like nothing had happened. But he, Julian Subatoi Bashir, had been kissed by Elim Garak, in a completely intentional manner, and it had not been unpleasant. It had been cooler, harder. But the skin was still soft, and the sensation still pleasant, and Julian wanted more. It seemed like an eternity before Garak realized that Julian wasn't listening to him, and a few seconds more before he realized that the Doctor had just glazed over, and was completely unmoving. "Doctor Bashir" No response. He tapped the Doctor's arm. "Julian?"

"Yes?"

"Doctor." He huffed. "Doctor you are completely ignoring my praising you for your revelation." Bashir still hadn't moved or even blinked.

"Am I?"

"Yes" The Cardassian smacked julian firmly across the face, effectively rousing him from his unfocused state. Bashir rubbed his cheek and glared at the tailor.

"What was that for?"

"You weren't responding to words. So I used a simple shock and nerve stimulus technique." Bashir smiled.

"I was in that state because of exactly that. Are you aware that you kissed me?" Garak rolled his eyes and huffed.

"Yes I am, now can we move on from that and discuss something else?" Julian gaped at the Cardassian.

"Talk about something - Garak, you kissed me. We should talk about that. And what it-"

"Ops to Doctor Bashir." The Doctor groaned in frustration at the interruption, but hit the comm badge anyway.

"Bashir here." There was a faint sound of shouting in the background as Sisko spoke.

"Doctor Bashir. We have a situation involving your friends Glib and Fall. You are needed in Ops immediately." Bashir felt dread rising in his gut.

"On my way Commander." He ended the comm and started for the door. Garak followed him.

"I thought your were drunk." Bashir commented as he dashed for the turbolift.

"It's been a remarkably sobering half an hour."


	19. Chapter 19

Constable Odo, Major Kira, and Chief O'Brien were all gathered around a conference table in one of the main meeting rooms on DS9. Odo had called the Major from her quarters to discuss their newly acquired information. Kira rubbed her nose ridges and sighed as the chief rambled through his retelling of the evening.

"So after I chatted with Ensign Mayweather over his behaviour, I ran into Crewman Sato and he said-"

"Chief" Kira sighed. "Just summarize it, please. It's getting late." O'Brien nodded, slightly crestfallen.

"Basically, Julian seemed bummed, he wouldn't talk about it, which was odd for him, and he didn't perk up when his date arrived. After that he looked down right devastated when Dax and Garak sat down together." Kira held up a hand to stop him.

"Hold on. Jadzia and Garak were a Quark's together?" Odo cleared his throat.

"It appeared that Dax and Garak were there on a date, though I believe it was more of the Lieutenant's information gathering strategy." O'Brien frowned, leaning forward in his seat.

"Well hold on, Information gathering? Is Dax in on this too?" Kira nodded.

"Sisko asked her to figure out what had Garak so out of sorts."

"Oh now Garak's been acting off?" He scoffed. " It must have been something they ate." Odo slammed his fist on the table, causing Kira and O'Brien to jump.

"That's it! I thought it was that but it didn't make sense. Now though." He chuckled.

"What's what? Odo, _you're _not making any sense?" Kira seemed concerned.

"Isn't it obvious?" The Major and the Chief shook their heads. Odo smiled. "They're in love." There was a deathly silence, before Miles and Kira broke into raucous laughter.

"Odo, mate." O'Brien wiped at his eyes. "We're talking about Garak and Bashir. You know, The Cardassian tailor that may or may not be a spy, and the hyperactive man child we have as a doctor." Odo crossed his arms over his chest, and Kira frowned.

"Odo, you can't be serious." He stayed silent. "You are serious."

"I am. Very serious" He huffed. "I thought it was obvious." O'Brien scoffed.

"Well if it was so obvious how come it took so long for you to figure it out?" The Constable shot him a look that had him withering in his seat.

"Think about it. You and Quark agreed that Doctor Bashir seemed jealous, right?" O'Brien nodded. "You assumed that he was jealous of Garak for being with Dax."

"Yea. I mean, Julian's been after her for-"

"But Tarina, a Betazoid, told him that she knew it wasn't Jadzia. And Betazoid's aren't exactly known for their dishonesty. " Kira sat back in her seat and drummed her fingers on the table

"It makes sense. " She pointed at the Chief. " It would also explain why he wasn't willing to talk to you about what was wrong. It's clearly a sensitive topic." O'Brien shook his head.

"I just can't wrap my head around it. Julian and Garak? It just seems so-"

"Wrong?" Odo offered, but the Chief shook his head.

"Cliche." He had everyone's attention now. "Don't get me wrong, it's not exactly the stuff of a holo novel, but when you think about it, it just boils down to the overly interested youth being attracted to the mysterious older stranger." He shrugged. "I never pegged Julian for being interested in someone like Garak." Kira sighed, propping her chin on her hand.

"Okay, so that solves what's wrong with Julian. He's in love with a giant lizard." She shook her head. "I just feel bad for the kid, I mean, there's no way that a Cardassian could possibly-" She was interrupted by Jadzia running into the room. She slammed her hands onto the table and with a huge grin shouted.

"Garak is in love with Julian!" Kira and O'Brien stared at her in shock, while Odo smiled smugly.  
"See? I told you so." Kira shushed the changeling.  
"Jadzia, what are you talking about?"

"Well maybe love is too strong of a word, but Garak definitely has strong feelings for Julian. The whole reason he was upset today was because Julian turned him down for something, I didn't get the details, but that was why he was acting so strange." Kira burst into laughter, her whole body shaking with it.

"Do you guys not see how ridiculous this is?" Jadzia shook her head, and frowned. "We've spent our whole day worrying and investigating a lover's spat! I mean, come on. Think about how worked up we've been. And for what? Two grown men being idiots. I mean really." O'Brien chuckled, and then broke into laughter himself. Even Odo cracked a smile. Jadzia sighed.

"Yea, it is pretty ludicrous, isn't it?" She huffed and pulled up a chair.

"But all of this leads us to a new problem." The others spoke in unison.

"What?"

"I have to report all of this to Sisko." The good humor fled the room quickly. Kira leaned forward.

"You aren't going to tell him the truth are you?" Dax shrugged.

"I mean, what else could I tell him? I can't just lie to Benjamin. He'll find out the truth eventually." O'Brien shook his head.  
"Now hold on. Why no just tell Sisko the truth? What harm could it do." Kira looked at the Chief as if he was an idiot.

"Chief, surely you can see how this might hurt Julian's career."

"Now, Starfleet has clear rules prohibiting discrimination against officers for their relationships. It's been part of the rules since, well since before the Prime Directive!" Dax nodded.

"That's true Miles, and I'm sure Benjamin would be alright with it, but if word got to headquarters, I doubt that policy would hold." Odo cleared his throat.

"If you want my opinion, it'd be better to tell Sisko, so he can handle any unfortunate assumptions from the crew." Jadzia frowned.

"Do you think that people will really be upset over this? I know Garak isn't everybody's best friend, but surely they wouldn't go after Julian." There was a pause, as everyone glanced at each other around the table. O'Brien stood up.

"Well I for one won't let anybody take the piss out him for this. " He chuckled. "That's my job." Kira smiled and stood as well.

"I'm with you Chief." Jadzia laughed and joined the others.

"Yea!" They all looked at Odo, who sighed.

"Isn't this display a little juvenile?" Kira smiled.

"Come on Odo. Don't be a downer." He huffed and stood.

"Fine." Everyone sat down again.

"Then we're settled. I'll tell Sisko what we've learned here."  
"And the rest of us will make sure that Julian and Garak are-" A combadge beeped.

"Sisko to Kira." Kira laughed.

"Kira here. What is it Commander?"

"Have you seen Dax? No one's been able to contact her. Her signal's coming from the Promenade, but she's not responding." Dax glanced down and noticed that her combadge was missing.

"I'm right here Benjamin. My comm badge must have fallen off this dress."

"Dress? Never mind. Glad to hear from you old man." Dax smiled.

"You and the Major are needed in Ops. We have a situation." Kira nodded.

"We're on our way sir."

"Sisko out." Kira rubbed the back of her neck and started for the door.

"Duty calls." Dax waved goodbye to O'Brien and Odo before she disappeared into the corridor.

O'Brien glanced over at Odo, who was looking around the room. He whistled.  
"So." He shifted in his seat.  
"That was a pretty dress Dax had on. Very flattering." Odo nodded. "Color wasn't right for her collection though. Washed her out." Odo sighed.

"Chief. As riveting as your fashion commentary is, it's nearly time for me to regenerate." O'Brien nodded.

"Of course." Odo stood, and started for the door.

"Aren't you going to leave?" O'Brien quickly stood and nodded.

"Yes, yes of course." Odo shook his head, and the two left the conference room, heading separate directions.


	20. Chapter 20

Sisko stood in the center of the operations room of Ops, awaiting the arrival of his officers. He was surprised to see Julian Bashir arrive with Garak in tow. The two were arguing over something, and Sisko nearly smiled at the ridiculous expressions of the Doctor's face.

"Garak it doesn't matter how you phrase that comment, or in what language you say it in, it still doesn't give you permission to follow me into-" Sisko cleared his throat, and the pair stopped short, both looking up at the Commander with abject embarrassment.

"Gentlemen, welcome to Ops. It's good to see you here." They shared a glance that was something akin to fear, and Sisko smiled. "It's nice of you to join us Garak. I was just about to call for you."

"You were?" The disbelief in the Doctor's voice was matched only by the smug expression on the Cardassian's face.

"Yes. This situation involves Cardassian interests, and you, Mr. Garak, are our man for Cardassian interests." Garak sighed.

"Unless Doctor Bashir's alien friends are needing new suits then I'm really not the man you need for this job." He smiled. "Perhaps Gul Dukat could help you?" Sisko sighed.

"Gul Dukat is the one who differed this matter to me. It appears that the Central Command had no desire to escalate tensions with the Romulan Empire." Kira and dax strode from the Turbolift.

"Wait a minute, Romulans?" Sisko nodded.

"Do you remember Sakket. The Vulcan medic?" Bashir nodded.

"Yea, he seemed a bit off for a Vulcan, almost cheerful. And slightly scatterbrained." Kira nodded.

"Yea, he was nearly pleasant to be a round." Sisko nodded.

"Well that's because he's not Vulcan. And his name isn't Sakket." A picture of a Romulan agent flashed onto the screen.

"His name is Havraha Keras. He's a rogue agent of the Tal Shiar. We believe that his original assignment was to gather information on the Gamma Quadrant. For some reason he's also elected to kidnap our visitors." The image on the view screen changed to picture of Glib and Fall. Garak tensed slightly and even Dax seemed slightly off put by their appearance. "These are our guests. Chrangularat and Falluntralaug." Bashir shook his head.

"They go by Glib and Fall, respectively." Sisko smiled.

"Our Doctor spent a good portion of his day getting to know them." Sisko gestured for Bashir to take over the conversation. " Doctor."

"Right well. Chragularat, or Glib, is a chemist on their homeworld, which has a name that I cannot pronounce. As far as I can tell Fall is Glib's partner, in some fashion. Fall is an empath who works with children. Thier society trades on an interplanetary scale, but for the most part citizens do not leave the planet unless it's absolutely necessary. Do to extenuating circumstance that are not the fault of Glib and Fall, they thought it best to make a journey out of exploring the Alpha Quadrant. The rest you know." Dax crossed her arms and frowned.  
"Can you think of any specific reason that he would want to kidnap them?"

"Apart from Glib's chemical knowledge, which I'm sure he's already shared with the Vulcans, no. My best guess is that he's found something useful in their biochemistry that I haven't discovered yet. Something that he believes would be useful to the Romulan Empire." Garak cleared his throat.

"If I may." Sisko nodded. 'He could be holding them for ransom. You stated that he was a rogue agent, and you've acquired his name, so I assume that the Romulans have disowned him at this point. Or perhaps even put a bounty on him." Sisko nodded.

"He is on the Federation wanted list." Garak nodded.

"Perhaps he discovered that he was slated for capture. I'm assuming that he stole a faster vehicle than the _T'Pring." _Sisko nodded.

"He took a Federation pleasure cruiser that was docked for repairs."

"Ah, so he took a means of escape and a bargaining chip. And then flew into what is effectively neutral territory to make his demands. Clever." Sisko nodded once more.

"Right. We haven't gotten any demands yet, but I hope to catch up to him before negotiating for hostages becomes a priority. Bashir. I want you, Garak and Dax to take a runabout and head after them. Kira, you're with me. We're going to join Captain Ka'Tra on the _T'Pring_ to back up the Runabout." Everyone nodded in understanding of the plan. "Good. Let's go."


	21. Chapter 21

Julian, Jadzia, and Garak sat in the runabout surrounded by Awkward silence. The heated argument of the turbolift had cooled between Garak and Bashir, and any discussion of the kiss was completely hampered by the presence of Dax, who was sitting in her side chair smiling knowingly at the two of them.

"So." She said, trying to break the tension in the cabin. "Glib and Fall look like interesting characters." Julian nodded.

"They are, yes."

"I bet you managed to learn a lot of interesting things about them while they were getting their physicals."

"Mhhm." The conversation died, and Dax was left with the distinct feeling that something had happened between the two men. A few more moments passed in silence, as Dax desperately tried to find something that would strike up a conversation. She peered at Bashir and grinned

"Julian."

"Hmm?"

"Do you know a Denobulan Doctor Arnox?" Julian tensed and glanced at sideways at her.

"Um, yes, actually, why do you ask?" He seemed nervous, and she spotted a hint of a blush creeping up his neck.

"Oh,no reason. I just got an email from him the other day- we served together on the _Pythagoras_- and it reminded me of the stories he used to tell." Julian swallowed thickly, and Dax noticed that Garak was now intently staring at him.

"Oh yea." She laughed. "He had this one about this boyfriend he had while he was in the Academy. He never said his name, just called him J. Anyway, he was rather fond of recounting their exploits." She laughed. "Like how his wives thought it was hilarious that this J guy practically moved in with him within a week of them seeing each other. Or when J walked out of the shower stark naked, and half of Arnox's extended family was sitting in the quarters." Julian shifted in his seat uncomfortably his complexion clearly flushed. "You wouldn't happen to know who this J fellow was, would you? I'm sure Arnox would love to talk to him again." Julian shook his head.

"Can't say that I remember him. Sorry." He stared straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact with anyone else in the ship.

"Shame." Garak nodded.

"Shame indeed. This J fellow sounds rather interesting." Julian managed a smile.

"I'm sure he was." Jadzia clapped her hands, and Bashir jumped in his seat.

"Well, I'm going to go grab a snack from the replicator in quarters." She stood, and braced herself between the two men's seats.

"I believe that there's now plenty for you two love birds to discus while I'm gone." All of the color drained from Bashir's face and he turned in his seat to face her. He couldn't force any sound from his lips, but Jadzia nodded in perfect understanding. "Cat's out of the bag Julian. Now deal with it." She spun around and walked out of the room. "I'm not coming back until you two make up, or we run into a Romulan." Her sentence was punctuated by the sound of the door sliding shut behind her. Garak cleared his throat and glanced at the panel in front of him.

"It appears we still have two hours until we reach the last known location of the ship that Keras took." Julian sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Just say it Garak." The Cardassian turned to face the doctor.

"Say what?"

"Whatever clever or sarcastic thing that's on the tip of your tongue." Garak sighed.

"I wasn't going to say anything except for that I am impressed." Julian turned to fully face Garak.

"Impressed?"

"Yes." Garak turned back to the control panel in front of him, but Bashir grabbed his seat and spun him back around.

"Impressed about what." Garak sighed.

"Would you like the truth, or an honest answer?" Bashir rolled his eyes.

"Garak."  
"Fine, fine, have it your way, I'll be blunt. I'm impressed that you managed a sexual relationship with a Denobulan. Even on Cardassia rumors of their-" He paused to think of the right word. "Let's say, endowment, were well known." He shrugged. "The logistics of it are-"

"Enough, enough." Julian turned and buried his head in his arms on the console. "This is a disaster." Garak frowned, and placed a tentative hand on the doctor's shoulder.

'What do you mean." Julian raised his head up slightly.

"You, Dax, us." He huffed. "The whole Arnox incident. This is not at all how things were supposed to go." He returned his head to his arms. "Quit looking at me like I'm some sort of wounded animal." Garak sighed and internally debated on what to do. His instincts were telling him to comfort and reassure the doctor, but his mind was insisting on defusing the situation with sarcasm. After a few moments, he caved and awkwardly wrapped an arm around Julian's shoulder.

"There there doctor. I'm sure it's not all that bad." Bashir started to shake, and for a split second Garak panicked at the thought of the doctor crying. Instead, muffled laughter filled the room. Bashir sat up, a shaky, lopsided grin on his face.

"Garak." He chuckled , shaking his head. "That was the single most sincere thing you've ever said to me and it could not have been more awkward." He broke into laughter again, while the Cardassian simply folded his arms across his chest.

"Well then. Next time you find yourself emotionally distraught, don't come crying to me." Julian's laughter doubled at that comment, and eventually Garak joined in. The tension between them disappeared as they calmed down.

"So what is this then?" Julian said, gesturing between them. "What are we?" Garak smirked mischievously.

"Really doctor, must we label things? For once can't you just let things be." Bashir considered it, and then shrugged.

"I don't see why not." He leaned over until he was a hair's breadth from Garak's face. "But when we get back I am going to take you on a proper date. No lunches at the replomat, or dinner at Quarks. A proper date." Garak rolled his eyes but smiled regardless.

"I doubt that it's really necessary doctor, but if you insist." Bashir pecked the Cardassian's lips.

"Oh, I insist." Garak grabbed Julian's shoulder and pulled him in for another kiss, this one far more intimate than the last. Julian responded in kind, reaching up to grip the Cardassian's neck and deepen the kiss. Jadzia stood in the doorway, watching the pair with a warm smile on her face. It was only when Julian slid out of his seat and started for Garak's lap that she alerted them to her presence.

"I've brought a snack, since none of us actually finished our dinners." Julian sheepishly slunk back into his seat, and Garak tried desperately to hide the blue tint that had risen to the surface of his skin. "Looking at it now though perhaps I should have brought some cold water." Julian glared at her, but Dax simply smiled. She shook one of the bowls in her hand. And passed it to Garak, who looked distrustfully at it.

"Lieutenant." he picked up one of the yellow-white pieces and pressed it between his fingers. "What is this?" Bashir chuckled as Daz handed him his bowl.

"It's popcorn Garak. An Earth food." He popped a handful in his mouth and hummed. "Buttered and salted." Dax nodded.

"Curzon used to snack on it during trips." Garak tentatively ate a few piece, and then nodded approvingly.

"Not bad." Dax laughed, before settling into her seat.

"How long until we reach those coordinates?" Bashir checked his control panel and sighed. "An hour and a half. We may as well settle in for the -" The runabout rocked violently, and the warning lights and sirens went off around them. Bashir fought the controls to stabilize them.

"Computer, shields up! Dax, get me a damage report. Garak, what hit us?."

"Well your scans say it's an Andorian cruiser. But those phasers belong on a Cardassian attack vessel." Dax nodded.  
"The damage they did to our climate control and rear stabilizers confirms that."Julian grunted as he swung the runabout out of the path of another blast.

"Andorian Vessel, this is the Federation Runabout Gangese. Stand down. I repeat stand down." A phaser blast hit their aft shields. Nearly knocking the ship out of warp. Garak transferred extra power to the aft shields.

"How the hell did he get behind us!" Another blast rocked the ship.

"I'm more concerned about how we're going to survive." More alarms sounded across the cabin, and Dax shouted over the sound of sparking wire.

"One more hit like that Julian and we're done for." The doctor nodded.

"Brace yourselves!" He slammed the runabout down to impulse, sending everyone careening forward in their seats. Sparks flew and smoke billowed from the back of the runabout. Dax fought to put enough force fields in place to contain the damage. Julian reinforced the forward shields.

"Garak, where is he?"

"Approximately six hundred and seventy thousand kilometers ahead of us." Another nod.

"I want all available power to phasers. Target his shield emitters, on an Andorian vessel, they'll be just behind antimatter exhausts, so be careful. Dax, the moment that those shields are down, beam Glib and Fall right here. It'll be tight, but it'll have to do." He didn't wait for any confirmation of his orders before he gunned the runabout at maximum impulse towards the Andorian ship. When the ship came into visual range Bashir noticed that it had already turned around, and was on a trajectory that would end in collision. He pulled the runabout hard to the left and neatly looped it behind the other craft. No sooner than the tricky maneuver was completed, the Andorian Vessel's shields were down, and Glib and Fall were on board. Bashir redistributed power from phasers to shields, and hailed the other vessel again.

"It's over Keras. Prepare for beem out. You're under-'Garak jumped over and slammed the ship into warp, just as the Andorian vessel exploded. The shock wave knocked them out of warp, but they were relatively unscathed. Bashir looked at Garak with a mix of terror, appreciation and affection, before he turned in his seat to examine their guests. Glib looked fine, aside from his color. Fall was visibly shaken.

"Are either of you injured?" Glib knotted his tentacles together.

"I am fine Doctor, but Sakket he-" Julian noticed a water silver liquid puddling on the floor.

"Good god." Fall unfurled two of his tentacles to show a nub where another should be. "Dax! Get my med kit!" The Trill jumped up, grabbing the kit from the cabinet at the back of the cabin. Julian quickly got to work, cauterizing the wound and administering what he hoped was an efficient antiseptic. Glib stopped him from using the dermal regenerator.

"It'll grow back on it's own. We only needed to prevent infection." Julian nodded, worriedly eyeing the shook his head as he finished relaying their current coordinates to Sisko.

"Even the Obsidian Order isn't heartless enough just lop off the limb of an innocent person. At least not without provocation." Fall gurgled his unique form of laughter, though even that seemed unsteady.

"Mr. Garak. It's good to finally see you." The sharp deviation from the topic at hand had Julian scanning for symptoms of shock. Even Glib seemed concerned. Fall clicked his beak and pushed at Glib slightly. He then extended one of his tentacles to Garak, who warily shook it.

"It's good to see you as well. I take it Doctor Bashir spoke of me." Glib shook his eye stalks in a surprisingly humanoid expression.

"He didn't need to." He laughed again, this time sounding stronger. Julian noted a small change in his color. Julian shook his head and turned to Glib.

"I can't make any sense of his readings, here." He held the tricorder out for Fall, who moved a singular eye stalk to view the screen. "Aside from fluid loss, he's fine." Glib moved back and emulated a shrug.

"As long as everyone is going to be alright." Garak's control panel lit up.

"Doctor, the _T'Pring_ is hailing. We have audio only"

"Put them on, Garak." Ka'tra's voice came across the line, concern and anger threatening under her thin Vulcan calm.

"Did everyone survive."

"Everyone but Sakket ma'am. He destroyed himself and the ship he was in when it was clear that he wasn't going to get away."

"Yes. We registered the explosion. It is disappointing that you were unable to apprehend him." Sisko's voice filtered through.

"I'm glad you're alright. Were there any injuries?"

"Fall had a limb removed, but he assures me that it'll be fine on it's own. I've tended to it as well as I can out here."

"Good. I take it that the _Ganges _has sustained some damage."

"Yes, sir. Dax could explain it better." He nodded to Jadzia, who sighed.

"Our climate control is gone, and so is our heat suppression. Our left stabilizer was severely damaged, and it I'll need to run some tests, but I doubt we'll be able to go past Warp two and a half, if that." Sisko whistled. "We're almost to your location. Do you think that the Ganges could survive a two?" Dax shook her head.

"No." Bashir ran his fingers through his hair and nodded.

"Sir, may I suggest that you take Glib and Fall and head back to the station, Nurse Amara can handle any emergencies that may happen, but I think that all Glib and Fall need as far as medical attention goes is a good night's rest."  
"Bashir, are you volunteering to nurse the _Ganges_ back to the station?" There was a note of humor in his voice that had the doctor smiling.

"Yes sir. I won't ask the same of Lieutenant Dax or Mr. Garak, of course." Garak rolled his eyes and glared at the doctor.  
"Obviously I'll be remaining here."  
"As will I Benjamin." Sisko laughed.

"Then it's settled." Garak nodded. "The T'Pring has arrived." Bashir motioned for the Cardassian to lower shields.

"We've locked on to glib and Fall. It's your last chance to beam out with them."  
"I've made up my mind sir." He turned to glib and Fall. "I expect you two two give Commander Sisko and Major Kira your full co-operation." They laughed, and so did Bashir.  
"You'll have plenty of time for goodbyes when you get back to the Station doctor." Garak muttered something under his breath that Bashir didn't catch.

"Understood." He waved at the two aliens as they were moved to the _T'Pring_ .

"I look forward to reading your report Doctor." The comm ended and the _T'Pring_ left them alone.


	22. Chapter 22

Sisko sat next to Kira in the bay with Glib and Fall. It had taken a matter of minutes to debrief them, and Glib was now regaling them with stories from their home planet. Fall seemed oddly quiet, sitting dutifully next to Glib, but it was obvious that his attention wasn't there. Kira cleared her throat and stretched.  
"Hey Fall?" The being perked up slightly. "Can I speak with you in private for a bit?" Fall nodded, walking with Kira to the other side of the hall room. Kira lowered her voice so that it wouldn't carry. "Are you okay? I mean, you seem a bit distant, and your limb must be hurting." Fall's beak parted, but he inclined his eyestalks anyway.

"I apologize if I'm being rude." Kira blushed, aware that she may have made the situation worse.

"No! No, it's not that." She gently patted him in the general vicinity of his non existant shoulder. "I only want to make sure that you're okay. Okay? I understand that sometimes we can't express how we feel or what we want in front of others, so I thought I'd let you know that it's alright." Fall nodded, his color shifting to a warmer tone.

"I understand." She smiled.

"Now, I'll get Sisko and leave you two to rest? Alright?" Fall laughed again, the gurgling sound startling the Major.

"To be honest, I've been resting this whole time." Kira crossed her arms over her chest.

"Really?"

"Oh yes. My species doesn't render itself completely unconscious in order to regenerate. We can simply place ourselves into a light trance whenever the need arrises. Generally I rest whenever Glib goes off on one of his excessive tangents." Kira chuckle, and shook her head.

"You're telling me that you've been napping the whole time that Glib has been talking?" Fall inclined his eyestalks once more.

"Basically."

"I have got to hand it to you Fall, I'm impressed. No wonder the Vulcan's thought that you were antisocial. I bet you slept through most of their conversations too." Fall blushed.

"Can you find fault in that? I have noticed that most humanoids find their species to be boring as far as general conversation goes." Kira laughed.  
"You're not wrong." Sisko stood and joined the pair on their side of the room.

"Major, I hate to break up your conversation, but I believe it's time we let our guests rest." Kira nodded and waved at Fall.  
"It's been nice talking to you."  
"And to you as well, Major." Kira followed the Commander out of the bay where they were being held, and into the cramped room they had been given for the duration of their hour long trip. Kira frowned at the hard bench and halfheartedly glared at across the space at Sisko.

"We're in their Brig, aren't we?" Sisko shrugged, pulling himself fully onto his bench.

"The force fields aren't up, so at the moments, it's a guest space." Kira rolled her eyes.

"Why does a science vessel have a Brig anyway? I mean, it's not like it's going to be transporting prisoners or anything." The Commander shrugged again.

"You never know Major. I'm sure that there's some sort of logical explanation for it." Kira scoffed, and shook her head.

"I'm just ready for bed sir, it's been a long day."  
"I second that one." He shifted on this bench to fully face the Major. "We still have forty five minutes before we reach the station."

"That sounds like a decent time for a nap, sir." Sisko shook his head.

"I can't sleep when I have so many questions, Major. Perhaps you can help me." Kira groaned and braced herself against the wall, tucking her legs up against her chest.

"What do you want to know Commander?"

"For starters, did you and Lieutenant Dax ever figure out what was going on with Garak?"

"Sir, I'm sure Jadzia would be more prepared to discuss-"

"I'm not interested in prepared Major, I just want what you know." Kira sighed and rubbed her face tiredly.

"I'll be brief about it then, but you're not going to believe it." Sisko sat up straight and rolled his shoulders.

"Try me." Kira turned her head to the side, stared Sisko dead and the eye and said.

"Bashir, Commander. Garak's problem is Doctor Julian Subatoi Bashir." Sisko laughed, a sharp barking laugh that put Kira on edge.

"Sir?"

"This whole time I've been concerned." He took a deep breath, a grin splitting his fears. "I thought, knowing Garak, it was something serious, like an assassination attempt, or a plot to destroy the station." He shook his head. "I had my senior officers investigating what boils down to what, the romantic entanglement of a Cardassian tailor?" Kira huffed, but smiled none the less.

"You wanna take a guess at what had Bashir on edge?" Sisko laughed again, this time falling close to tears. It lasted for several minutes, with Kira growing slightly concerned. Finally Sisko regained enough composure to speak.

"You're telling me, that every issue we've had today from those two is all because of Doctor Bashir's crush on Garak?" Kira nodded.

"And Garak having feelings for-" She stopped, suddenly catching what the Commander had said. "You knew about Julian?" He scoffed.

"Of course I know. Everyone knows. I can't count how many times he's brought Garak up in conversation, or managed to twist entire stories around just so he could discuss Garak." Sisko chuckled. "At our last breakfast meeting, he spent the entire time talking about Garak. Two and a half hours of discussing the man." He shook his head. "I wanted to stop him. I probably should have. But he had that light in his eyes, you know? Jake gets it too, when he's talking about whatever girl he's got a crush on at the time." He shrugged. "I just could not bring myself to make him shut up." Kira sat there, dumbfounded.

"Huh." She rubbed her shoulder. "I mean, now that you say it like that, it is obvious, isn't it? No wonder Odo thought we were all idiots." Sisko frowned, suddenly serious.

"Odo's in on this?" Kira nodded. "Who else?"

"Dax, obviously, and Chief O'Brien."

"The Chief knows about this?"

"Yea, why do you suddenly look like death warmed over?" Sisko sighed, and absentmindedly rubbed his head.

"I didn't think that so many people had gotten involved in this. I mean, I don't think Bashir or Garak will be too thrilled that so many people know about their personal lives." He sighed, and Kira shrugged.

"I doubt we really need to worry about it sir." Sisko nodded, and then chuckled.

"Major, how long do you think it'll take the _Ganges _to make it to the station?"

"Sir?" She looked confused, and Sisko smiled.

"I'd say at least six hours. Maybe seven, if they can manage Warp two and a half."

"How is this-"

"Think about it major. Dax, Garak and Doctor Bashir, trapped together on a dilapidated runabout together for seven hours." He laughed, and shook his head. "If Garak and Bashir hadn't sorted themselves out before, Dax will make sure that they've thoroughly figured themselves out by the time they get back to the station." Kira considered this, a pained expression on her face.

"I feel bad for Julian."

"Oh?"

"Yea. With Garak being as infuriatingly cryptic as he is, and Dax's 'subtle' hinting, he's probably out of his mind just trying to decipher what everyone's talking about." Sisko chuckled.

"You may just be right. Though something tells me that Dax isn't going to bother with subtlety this time."

"Either way it's going to be an interesting ride." Sisko grinned.

"Major, is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice?" Kira grimaced.

"More like pitty." Sisko laughed, and opened his mouth to make another comment, but was interrupted but the arrival of one of the Vulcan crewmen.

"We have arrived at our destination." Sisko nodded and stood yawing as he stretched.

"Thank you Mr.-"

"Tarlin." Sisko smiled.

'Yes well. Thank you. Is there anything else?" The Vulcan shook his head and walked away. "Well Major, I believe that that is our cue." Kira nodded, dramatically sighing as she got off of the bench. She rolled her shoulders and popped her neck.

"By the Prophets it's about time. I'm exhausted." She groaned and ran her fingers through her hair. "Sir, I say we leave the paperwork for all this until tomorrow." Sisko chuckled.

"Agreed, and I'll let Dax write up the report on today's, investigations." Kira grinned and started out of the room, with Sisko in tow.


	23. Chapter 23

Julian Bashir slammed his fist against a rattling panel, only to be rewarded with more noise. Garak sighed and glared at the doctor with disappointment.

"Great. Now you've gone and knocked something else loose to drive us all crazy with." Bashir groaned and wiped at the sweat from his brow.

"At least I'm attempting to fix something,"Julian scooted out from underneath the console and stood. " instead of lounging in your chair as if you haven't a care in the world." Garak put a hand to his chest in exaggerated offense.  
"I am but a simple tailor Doctor, what do you expect me to know about fixing a Federation runabout." Julian reddened as he rolled up his sleeves and marched to hover over the Cardassian.

"Listen here Elim Garak." He spat the words out. "It is too hot, and too late for this nonsense." He pointed at the rattling panel and glowered at the Cardassian. "Fix that damned panel, and then help the rest of us with repairs so that way we can get back to the station." Garak quirked an eye ridge and smiled his surprised, open mouthed smile.

"And if I refuse?" He had expected that to defuse the situation and deflate the doctor of his anger, but he was shocked to find that it only seemed to fuel it.

"If you don't help us-" He braced himself against the arms of Garak's chair and leaned into his face. "I will personally make sure that your quarters, your shop, and the rest of the damned promenade have a permanent temperature of fifteen degrees. Are we clear?" Garak nodded, barely containing his amusement. Even Dax was smirking when Bashir walked back to help her.

"Wow, Julian, I never thought you had that in you." He simply stared at her, confusion and irritation etched across his features.  
"Had what in me?" She took a deep breath.

"Oh, you know, an assertive side. Outside of the clinic of course. It's so" She smiled and mock shivered. "attractive." Julian smiled flirtatiously and leaned against the panel beside her.  
"Really? I'll have to remember that." Dax laughed and shook her head, pointing back to the cabin of the runabout. "You do realize how cruel that is to him though. I mean, It's what, forty degrees in here? Think about the last time he experienced heat that was anywhere near the temperature on Cardassia Prime. I mean, it must feel like a day at the spa." Garak walked into quarters, wiping his hands on his trousers.  
"On the contrary lieutenant. While it is nice to be in warmer surroundings, it is entirely too humid. I want to be warm, not steamed." He smoothed back the hairs that had started to curl in front of his face. "How can it even be humid on a vessel like this? I thought that it got significantly colder when the climate control was damaged." Dax inclined her head.

"Generally yes, it usually does get significantly colder." She quickly pressed a conduit back into place and shut the panel above her head. "Lucky for us it's not the whole system that's been destroyed, only the sensor array, unfortunately they seem to be fused in a manner that means that they're constantly registering the interior as the same temperature as the exterior." Bashir sighed and flopped against the panel he was leaning on, savoring the feeling of the cool metal.

"At least there's a safety cap on temperature, so we aren't going to die in here." He glanced over at Jadzia cautiously. "We aren't going to die in here, are we?" She chuckled and shook her head.

"Worst case scenario is heat exhaustion." As if on cue Julian yawned, and Dax noticed that Garak was eyeing him with remarkable concern.

"I don't need to worry about the heat exhausting me, my day's done a good enough job of that." Julian stood up straight and stretched, before yawning again. Garak rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Doctor, if you're so tired, why don't you go rest. I'm sure Lieutenant Dax and I can handle all of the minor repairs that need to be done." Julian considered it, but the thought of waking up in the same manner that he had that morning seemed far more uncomfortable than being tired.

"Not going to happen. I'm just going to see if the replicator still works, and get a Raktajino. You want one Dax?" She nodded, and kicked at the hem of her dress.

"You know Garak, I have to hand it to you, when you design something, you design it for comfort as well as looks. I'm hardly warm." Garak smiled at her.  
"Thank you. You know." He held up his hands imploring. " That fabric may not be a poor choice for the dress you commissioned. I'd have to do some digging to find it in a shade more suited to your complexion, but if you like it-"  
"I don't know about you Dax, but I'll take him up on that offer." He handed her a glass. "I went ahead and made them iced Raktajinos. Didn't think that we needed to be raising our core temperature up any higher." She nodded and sipped from the glass.

"Thank you. And do you really like this dress Julian?" She had phrased it in her playful manner, but the doctor shrugged.

"I mean, yes it's pretty." He sipped his drink contemplatively. "But if that fabric is as comfortable as you say it is, then I'll order a dress made out of it right now." He shrugged.

"It's got to be more comfortable than a skant uniform." Dax snorted, spitting out her drink with a mix of shock and humour.

"You wore a skant uniform?" The doctor blushed, but nodded. "I did a six month study on Vulcan. It was unbearably hot the entire stay. Nearly all of us wore the Skant uniform while we were indoors." Jadzia shook her head, her body shaking with laughter.

"I-I just can't." She took a deep breath, but burst into a fit of giggles a few seconds later."A skant uniform! On you!" Julian rolled his eyes and sipped his drink, while Garak glanced between them.

"Forgive me for not being up to date on Federation terminology, but what is a 'skant' uniform, and why is the thought of you wearing it so amusing." Bashir sighed.

"The skant uniform is a unisex-" he emphasized that word with a pointed glare at Dax "tunic that has a relatively short hemline." He gestured to his upper thigh. "Generally they sit around here. Some people wear it with tights, some don't, it's a matter of personal choice." Garak nodded, then shook his head.  
"I still don't see how that's so amusing." Dax was laughing hysterically, one arm wrapped around her stomach the other cradling her drink to her chest.  
"It's funny because, well look at him" She gestured up and down at the doctor, who looked mildly upset. "Julian, you're all leg. I doubt that your uniform was anywhere near long enough to even remotely be considered decent.." She giggled again. "How many times did you get cited for inappropriate attire?" Garak smirked at the comment, even as Julian muttered to himself. "Was that a 'few times' I heard?" Bashir grimaced.

"Only twice. And neither of those were my fault." Jadzia rolled her eyes and downed the rest of her Raktajino.

"I'm sure." She leaned her head back for a moment before smiling and rolling her shoulders. "Anyway, back to the tasks at hand. Yes, Garak, I would like this fabric for my dress. And Julian, I have done all I can for the climate system, there's no way to repair it here." She handed him the empty glass. "I'm going to go see what I can do to get us some more speed." She turned and maneuvered herself into the small cargo room, leaving Julian and Garak alone in the corridor. Garak was wearing the expression of a man who had been gifted the moon, and Julian met that expression with abject misery.

"Just spit it out so we can get on with our lives." Garak sighed.

"Honestly Doctor a little heat and you gain the temperament of a Klingon." Bashir glared at Garak, who raised his hands placatingly. "I was merely going to state that I see no shame in wearing clothing that you are comfortable in." He paused, stepping slightly closer to the doctor. "I am curious as to how someone as responsible as you managed to inadvertently earn citations for his apparel." Bashir groaned and walked back into the cabin before flopping into a chair.

"If you must know, my friends were assholes." Garak was taken aback at the casual swear, something that he was unaccustomed of hearing from the Doctor.

"Pardon?" Bashir rolled his eyes and sank deeper into the chair.

"The first write up was because of my friend, Marina, who thought it would be hilarious to switch out my uniform for one of hers. It was far shorter than I had anticipated, but since she had brought it to me while I was in a-" He grimaced. "err, compromised position, I didn't have much of a choice. I thought that I could make it back to my quarters without much of an incident."

"Clearly you were mistaken."  
"You know how an ill fitting tunic can ride up." Garak smothered an amused smile and hid it behind a mask of professionalism.

"And the second incident?"

"Marina tripped me on my way to class, I wasn't exactly prepared for that to occur."

"Surely you don't mean-" Garak's eyes lit up and a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Bashir was red in the face by this point, though Garak was sure that he'd simply chalk it up to the heat.

"At least that incident had an upside."

"Oh?" Bashir smirked and sat up in his seat.

"Arnox asked me to dinner that afternoon. Apparently he'd been walking behind me." Garak felt a slight twinge in his stomach at that phrase, but could not distinguish what it entailed.  
"Doctor, I must admit you've been very forthcoming with personal information today." Bashir shrugged.  
"There really isn't any point in keeping secrets, is there?" He chuckled humorlessly. "If you wanted to know something, you'd find it out somehow." He shrugged. "Besides, some strange, childish, and I must say completely irrational part of me almost believes that my being honest may just earn a few truths from you." Garak sat down across from Bashir and folded his arms across his chest.

"This is something that I believe needs to be addressed. I'm not going to start changing things just because our relationship is becoming more-" Garak couldn't think of the right word to use. Though it appeared that he didn't have to. Bashir leaned forward and stared at the Cardassian pensively.

"I wasn't asking for that Garak. I won't ask for that." He smiled and shook his head. "I don't believe I'll ever learn the full truth about you Garak." He cautiously took Garak's hand in his own. "But half the fun is in the mystery." Garak rolled his eyes and squeezed Bashir's hand, before chuckling. "I believe the appropriate thing to say at this point is that while I appreciate your sincerity, this is quite awkward." Bashir groaned and snatched his hand back.

"Way to ruin a moment." Garak shrugged.

"I was simply taking a cue from you."

"A cue from- Garak you were providing the single most generic form of comfort that exists! I was trying to be romantic." Garak scoffed.

"Romance, apparently, is in the eye of the beholder. Cardassian romance is far more subtle and invigorating . I was taking your blatant patronising as a form of attempted comfort at some imagined malady. Tell me, doctor, how does human romance work? Do you simply compliment each other until you're infatuated enough to have sex?"

"In the most basic of terms yes. Honestly though what is subtle about Cardassian flirting. From my understanding of it is you simply argue with each other until someone caves and lashes out in passion."

"Precisely Doctor! It's all about get the blood flowing, to kindle that fire to the point where there are only two possible options, to back down or to act on it!" Garak stood up and began pacing. "It's all about passion and skill! The more levelheaded a person is the longer you can draw out the romance, the more passionate the coupling! Instead of simply acting on base instincts of attraction, Cardassians find a great deal of pleasure in fighting to so see who can control themselves longer." Bashir shook his head and scoffed.

"Why not give into base urges? Is masochism a Cardassian virtue? Because it seems to be an ingrained part of your social structure." Garak laughed, a fully amused laugh that held an edge of irritation.

"Perhaps you're right doctor, perhaps. But at least we have structure. We have traditions, and rules, and certain ways of doing things." Bashir stood and marched over to Garak, forcing him to stop his pacing.

"Oh like a civilized culture? Please. You have so many convoluted rules and strictures that you hardly know which way is up!"

"At least with set rules and guidelines, no matter how convoluted, the game is interesting, and playable. Verses the jumbled mess that is the human social structure. You have no hierarchy, no standards, no social classes."

"No infighting, no poverty, no discrimination. It's all in how you phrase it. You see a jumbled mess where I see equality and life."  
"And you see a broken system where I see order and tradition." They simply stood there staring at eachother for a moment, when Dax walked in, her arms and face smudged with grease.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your little lesson on perspective, but I've managed to patch together enough of the Warp drive to give us safely Warp three point six." Bashir ran his fingers through his sweat soaked hair and sighed. "That's not much, but it'll shave at least-"

"Doctor I believe she said safely. Lieutenant, how fast could we go if you ignored our safety?" Dax grinned.

"Nearly the full Warp five. We'd be back at the station in twenty minutes." Bashir rubbed his neck, glancing around the cabin.

"It'd be the bumpiest ride of our lives." Dax nodded. "And the Chief will kill us when we get back." Another nod.

"But we could all get to sleep before tomorrow."

"True."

"And you two could continue your passionate interspecies romantic arguments without an audience." She earned an admonishing glare from both of them, and simply smiled.  
"Well I,for one, am with Lieutenant Dax. Doctor?" Bashir sighed.

"Computer. reroute all available power to reinforcing structural integrity." He sat himself down in his seat. "I suggest that you all strap in and hold tight." He engaged throttled up the Warp drives. "This is going to be one hell of a trip."


	24. Chapter 24

Ensign Llemara Marina had just settled in to her seat in Ops, when her console lit up, both with sensor readings and a fractured comm signal. She scrambled to clarify the hail, and put it on the screen. There appeared a staticy and shaking image of Doctor Bashir, his entire person oozing tension. He was speaking, but the audio was cutting in and out. Marina recalibrated the system and tried again.

"Doctor Bashir. Repeat message."

"Coming in…Warp core.. lock tractor beam...emergency beam out. Standby." Marina looked across the room to the Bajorin crewman manning the transporter.

"Get a lock on all life signs and transport on my mark." He nodded. The sensors showed that the runabout had decelerated and was within visual range of the station. She quickly caught the runabout in the station's tractor beam, bringing it to a halt. Marina watched as Bashir was thrown forward in his seat and smoke billowed from behind him, the comm line cut out abruptly, leaving the Ensign to calculate the rest of her orders.

"You got a lock, Arvi?" The crewman nodded. "Engage." The transporter whirred to life and three forms appeared, before collapsing to the ground. Ensign Marina bolted from her station and ran to the transporter, where another crewman met her with an emergency med kit. The trio looked atrocious. Bashir was shirtless-something that she had not noticed over the comm- his hair was plastered to his scalp with sweat and he looked flushed. Garak's coloured seemed off, with a much bluer tint than normal, and his usually well kempt hair was now a curling mass upon his head. Dax was barely recognizable, covered in streaks of grease and soot, her hair piled haphazardly on top of her head, with blood dripping down the side of her face. Marina turned her attention to the Lieutenant first, scanning her with the tricorder.

"No fractures or punctures. Blood pressure is high, heart rate accelerated." Bashir sighed.

"She gashed her head open when we dropped out of warp. check for signs of a concussion and then use the dermal regenerator to heal the wound." He laid down on the transporter pad and huffed. "Whoever is manning the tractor beam needs to tow it to the docking ring and inform Chief O'Brian of the condition of the _Ganges_." Ensign Marina paused and glanced nervously back at the control panel.

"Arvi."  
"On it." The Bajorin moved swiftly to Marina's station, while the Ensign finished tending to Dax's wounds. Jadzia smiled warmly as she traced her fingers over the tender new skin on her "Thank you Marina. I appreciate it." The Ensign nodded, and turned her attention to the others. Garak pushed the tricorder away and stood, straightening his clothes and attempting to smooth down his hair.

"Thank you Ensign, but I am perfectly alright." He glanced down at Doctor Bashir and then addressed Marina once more. "If there is nothing pertinent to discus, I'd like to go back to my quarters and rest." She nodded. and turned to Dax and Bashir. "Actually, I think it'd be best for all of you to get some rest. I'll inform Commander Sisko of your arrival."Bashir nodded and pushed himself up off the floor and helped Dax to her feet. "If there's anything that needs to be clarified we will notify you tomorrow." She gestured to the turbolift. "Get some rest, lieutenants. You too Mr. Garak." There was a series of polite smiles and nods as the entered the turbolift, and descended out of sight.


	25. Chapter 25

Bashir awoke the next morning to frantic shouting and someone shaking him violently.

"Julian! Julian wake up!" He groaned and sat up, only to see Jadzia kneeling on the other side of the bed.

"What?"

"It's ten o'clock Julian. You've slept through the first 4 hours of your shift." Julian shot upright and leapt from his bed, dashing to the bathroom with no regard for his current state of undress. His voice echoed from the bathroom, nixed with the sound of a sonic shower.  
"How could this have happened?" Dax shrugged, leaning against the wall next to the bathroom door.

"You must have slept through your alarm. Not surprising, as you weren't responding to hails, urgent messages, incessant beating on your door." The shower clicked off, and Julian stumbled from the bathroom, his hair a wild mess.

"I am so sorry. I don't know what's came over me." She shrugged again and started for the door as the doctor tugged on his underclothes and tripped into his uniform.

"Don't apologize to me. You're the one who's effectively screwed." She heard the zipper of the uniform jumpsuit and saw him dash to the door.

"I know. I've got that report, and then I need to tie things up with Glib and Fall." He ran a hand through his hair and glanced worriedly around the room. "I'm forgetting something." Dax smiled and pointed to the floor.

"Your shoes?" He blushed and nodded, nearly throwing himself to the floor to retrieve them from their place under his armchair."

"Julian slow down. You're already this late, why stress yourself out further?" He tugged on one show and hopped towards the door with the other.

"Because-" The door slammed shut and he straightened his uniform. "I have a date tonight." Dax scoffed.

"You seriously planned that for tonight?" Bashir shrugged and started towards the Turbolift at a brisk pace.  
"Not explicitly, but I was under the assumption that it would be a 'the sooner the better' sort of happening. After all, why wait?" The turbolift doors slammed shut and Dax rolled her eyes.

"Why wait? Julian, you've got work to do. There's no way that you can get everything done at a decent enough time to put together a romantic dinner." Julian nodded.

"You're right. By myself, there's no way. That's why I'm going to need help." Dax sighed and crossed her arms.

"Whose help? I'm too busy to put this together for you. What are you going to do, call the Chief and have him " Bashir grinned while Dax rolled her eyes. "You can't be serious."

"It's a brilliant idea, Jadzia. Keiko is a wonderful cook, and I can get the chief to manipulate the environmental controls for me so that-"

"You're forgetting one thing Julian." The turbolift doors opened to ops, and a shout rang across the room.

"Julian!" Chief O'brien stormed across ops, and Dax smirked at the fear in the doctor's eyes.

"Remember the _Ganges_?" She walked off, leaving Julian fully exposed to the wrath of Miles O'Brien.

"One time! One time you take out a runabout, and what happens? It comes back in shambles! You couldn't even keep her together for one bloody mission?" Bashir winced and sidestepped the red faced engineer.

"I'm sorry Chief, but-"

"I'm sorry Chief, I'm sorry Chief." he mocked, stepping into Bashir's personal space. "Sorry doesn't sweeten my tea Julian! Sorry, doesn't magically fix a damn near disintegrated runabout!" He stepped back and picked something up off of the railing. "And if it wasn't bad enough, that the poor ship was in tatters, I find this wrapped around a cooling duct!" He held the object up and nearly pressed it against the doctor's face. It was his undershirt from the day before, singed and stained with coolant and grease. It had been a last resort patch that the doctor had been more than happy to make, as ridding himself of the shirt made the last few moments of their journey more tolerable.

"Chief-"

"Don't you Chief me. Would it really have killed you to pick up toolkit and fix something properly? Instead of wrapping your underwear around it? I mean this isn't Starfleet academy! You can't fix all your problems with what's under your uniform." Julian fought a smirk at that comment, and he noticed that some of the fire in the Chief's eyes dulled.

"Look, if you would like, I'll come down today and help with repairs. I'll even make you a thank you dinner. Alright?" The Chief huffed and shook his head.

"Save the dinner for your boyfriend, Bashir. You've got more important things to do than to go behind my men and undo all their progress. I think it's best you stay away from the runabout for a while." Bashir nodded.

"Anything else?" O'Brien shrugged, and Bashir started walking away, anxious to get on with his day.

"Oh, Julian?" He spun around, and was hit in the face with what was no doubt his soiled undershirt. "Keep your underwear out of my runabouts too." Julian smiled humorlessly and nodded, before hurrying on to Sisko's office. He entered to Dax bent next to Sisko, quietly discussing something clearly entertaining, judging by the smirk on the Commander's face. Bashir cleared his throat, and Dax stood up, a small knowing smile in place. Sisko smiled menacingly.

"Doctor Bashir, so good of you to finally grace us with your presence." Julian shuffled where he stood and glanced down. "I trust that you're well rested?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. From what I've been hearing you're going to need all the rest you can get.'

"Sir?" Sisko laughed and shook his head.

"Forget I said anything." He sighed and his expression fell into something far more professional. "Doctor, while I expect that your report will be on my desk by 1500. Your first priority is to finish your examinations on, and release Glib and Fall, you they can get on their way. I also expect a copy of your virus analysis for the Bajorin medical board before tomorrow morning." Julian clasped his hands behind his back and squared his shoulders.

"Yes sir." Sisko's smirk returned slightly and he leaned forward onto his desk.

"I trust that you won't let your personal life interfere with your work." Julian swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

"My work is my priority, sir." Sisko leaned back and propped his feet on the desk, his hands behind his head.

"Glad to hear it." Bashir took this as his dismissal and turned to the door, heading off to complete his work. He could only hope to have everything completed in time.


End file.
